Why Communities Should Be at the Center of Climate Policies on Planned Relocation

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Imagine you have to leave your home where your ancestors have lived for centuries because of sea level rise and other climate impacts. Actually, many communities around the world are facing the difficult choice to stay in their homes or to move out of harm's way. Human Rights Watch has looked at such cases in places like Senegal, Solomon Islands or Panama. When they choose to leave their homes, it is done through a process called planned relocation and it is a measure of last resort for these communities who would much rather stay in their homes. We’re at COP30 in Brazil, and we just had a panel discussion on the importance of community leadership, knowledge and experiences to shape how these policies are made. If not done right, planned relocations can threaten the rights of these communities, such as their right to land or housing. You know, around the world, communities are already showing leadership already dreaming and envisioning for a better future. So one of the things that we’re pushing here at COP30 is for governments to put communities at the center of climate policies on planned relocation.

Imagine you have to leave your home where your ancestors have lived for centuries because of sea level rise and other climate impacts. Actually, many communities around the world are facing the difficult choice to stay in their homes or to move out of harm's way. Human Rights Watch has looked at such cases in places like Senegal, Solomon Islands or Panama. When they choose to leave their homes, it is done through a process called planned relocation and it is a measure of last resort for these communities who would much rather stay in their homes. We’re at COP30 in Brazil, and we just had a panel discussion on the importance of community leadership, knowledge and experiences to shape how these policies are made. If not done right, planned relocations can threaten the rights of these communities, such as their right to land or housing. You know, around the world, communities are already showing leadership already dreaming and envisioning for a better future. So one of the things that we’re pushing here at COP30 is for governments to put communities at the center of climate policies on planned relocation.