Climate Forced Relocation

Robin Bronen: University of Alaska Fairbanks rRobin Bronen: University of Alaska Fairbanks [email protected] [email protected]

Climate Forced RelocationClimate Forced Relocation

What is the nexus between climate-induced What is the nexus between climate-induced environmental change and human mobility?environmental change and human mobility?

If climate change causes entire communities If climate change causes entire communities to relocate, how can communities be to relocate, how can communities be resilient?resilient?


MethodsMethods

Ethnography of a community-led Ethnography of a community-led relocation process;relocation process;

Multidisciplinary and multi-level: Multidisciplinary and multi-level: community, state, national and community, state, national and internationalinternational

Attended 40 relocation meetings Attended 40 relocation meetings between 2007-2012 at community, between 2007-2012 at community, state, national and international levelsstate, national and international levels


Climate-induced environmental change Climate-induced environmental change will cause permanent relocation will cause permanent relocation

Permanent relocation requires new Permanent relocation requires new adaptive governance institutionsadaptive governance institutions

Must be based in human rights doctrineMust be based in human rights doctrine


Climate Change in AlaskaClimate Change in Alaska

Temperatures have increased an average of 3.5 Celsius since 1975. Permafrost is melting. Record minimum levels of arctic sea ice since 2007. Accelerated rates of erosion.


Photos: Frank Myoumick-Kawerak

2003 US government report found 4 communities seeking to relocate in Alaska and 184 other communities are being affected by flooding and erosion

2009 US government report found 12 seeking to relocate and 31 additional communities thinking about relocation.


Newtok Traditional CouncilNewtok Traditional Council

NEWTOK TRADITIONAL COUNCIL

Documented erosion since 1983

Identified 6 potential relocation sites and evaluated habitability

Community voted 3 times to relocate

Acquired land for relocation in 2003.


NEWTOK’S RELOCATION NEWTOK’S RELOCATION CHALLENGESCHALLENGES

Newtok Planning GroupNewtok Planning Group Ad hocAd hoc 25 different federal, state, tribal and non-profit 25 different federal, state, tribal and non-profit

agenciesagencies No mandate to relocate; no statutory guidance to No mandate to relocate; no statutory guidance to

relocate and no relocation fundingrelocate and no relocation funding

Agencies lack technical, financial and Agencies lack technical, financial and organizational capacity to relocate communitiesorganizational capacity to relocate communities

Statutory barriersStatutory barriers Can not build school unless at least 10 children enrolledCan not build school unless at least 10 children enrolled


CLIMIGRATION DEFINITIONCLIMIGRATION DEFINITION

Permanent Community Relocation Due To Permanent Community Relocation Due To On-going Ecological Change, caused by On-going Ecological Change, caused by repeated extreme weather events and on-repeated extreme weather events and on-going ecological changegoing ecological change

Threatens livesThreatens lives Damages or destroys infrastructure, housing, Damages or destroys infrastructure, housing,

health clinics and schoolshealth clinics and schools


Dynamic Adaptive Governance ResponseDynamic Adaptive Governance Response

DISASTER RELIEFDISASTER RELIEF

Critical to adaptive governance framework to Critical to adaptive governance framework to ensure relocation is only durable solutionensure relocation is only durable solution

TEMPORARY EVACUATIONTEMPORARY EVACUATION EROSION/FLOOD CONTROLEROSION/FLOOD CONTROL REBUILDREBUILD RETURNRETURN

Statutory framework needs to be amended to Statutory framework needs to be amended to include gradual ecological processesinclude gradual ecological processes

Release funding for relocationRelease funding for relocation


SOCIAL-ECOLOGICAL SIGNALSSOCIAL-ECOLOGICAL SIGNALS

Repetitive loss of infrastructure;Repetitive loss of infrastructure; Imminent danger to community;Imminent danger to community; Protection in place not possible through flood Protection in place not possible through flood

protection, erosion control;protection, erosion control; Number of evacuation incidents;Number of evacuation incidents; Socio-economic indicators – loss of potable Socio-economic indicators – loss of potable

water, affect on public health;water, affect on public health; Information regarding predicted sea level rise, Information regarding predicted sea level rise,

community monitoring of erosion and floodingcommunity monitoring of erosion and flooding


Human Rights PrinciplesHuman Rights Principles

Reviewed human rights doctrines – no current Reviewed human rights doctrines – no current human rights document provides protections for human rights document provides protections for communities relocating because of climate communities relocating because of climate changechange

Community-based and community-guidedCommunity-based and community-guided Living standards must not diminish Living standards must not diminish Sustainable developmentSustainable development Socio-cultural institutions must remain intactSocio-cultural institutions must remain intact Customary communal rights to resources are Customary communal rights to resources are

protectedprotected


FUTURE RESEARCH FUTURE RESEARCH

Scale It Up and Out:Scale It Up and Out:

• Workshop between Newtok and Carteret Workshop between Newtok and Carteret IslandsIslands

• Collaboration with UN Environment Collaboration with UN Environment Program, Georgetown University and Program, Georgetown University and Brookings Institute Brookings Institute


AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

Stanley Tom, Newtok Traditional Council, Stanley Tom, Newtok Traditional Council, Sally Russell Cox and the Newtok Sally Russell Cox and the Newtok Planning Group;Planning Group;

Ursula Rakova and Tulele Peisa;Ursula Rakova and Tulele Peisa; Dr. Terry Chapin, Dr. Gary Kofinas, Dr. Dr. Terry Chapin, Dr. Gary Kofinas, Dr.

Peter Schweitzer and Dr. Sarah Trainor;Peter Schweitzer and Dr. Sarah Trainor; EPSCoR: National Science FoundationEPSCoR: National Science Foundation

Climate Forced Relocation

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