Planned relocation in Asia: A regional snapshot

This report builds on a global mapping by the Platform on Disaster Displacement (PDD) and draws on cases identified in Asia to shine a spotlight on notable characteristics and insights that emerge in this regional context. Across Asia, disasters and climate change impacts have had, and will continue to have, profound effects on people and the places they call home. As governments and communities search for safer places with secure livelihood options for people, planned relocations are becoming increasingly salient. Yet despite the growing attention to planned relocation at the international and regional levels, knowledge and data gaps remain.

This report identifies key insights for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers concerned with planned relocation in the Asia region. Planners must pay careful attention to the characteristics and outcomes associated with different spatial patterns of planned relocation, particularly in cases with multiple origin and destination sites. Tradeoffs must be considered between proximity of origin and destination sites and livelihood opportunities. Deeper knowledge on relocations initiated in urban geographies must also be developed. Planners must understand the interim needs of relocating persons in situations where planned relocation cases are initiated following displacement as well as generate knowledge on sectors and levels of governance involved in initiating and supporting planned relocation processes. Finally, the multiple, diverse drivers that contribute to the motivations of actors initiating and supporting planned relocation must be understood to better safeguard against potential rights violations.