International relocation from Pacific island countries: adaptation failure?

Abstract

Vulnerability Assessment of Arizona's Critical Infrastructure 1 Environment, Forced Migration & Social Vulnerability International Conference 9-11 October 2008 Bonn, Germany www.efmsv2008.org INTERNATIONAL RELOCATION FROM PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTRIES: ADAPTATION FAILURE? John R. CAMPBELL 1 , 1. Department of Geography, Tourism and Environmental Planning, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand ABSTRACT: Increasing attention has been given to the issue of adaptation as a response to climate change, especially for Pacific Island countries (PICs) which have been identified as among those most likely to be effected. One set of adaptive responses that has received a considerable amount of media and political attention is relocation of communities from sites that might be rendered uninhabitable. There has been much postulation about the likely need for, or problems associated with, relocation. However, there has been very little research into the types of relocation that might be r