Designing a funding framework for the impacts of slow-onset climate change — insights from recent experiences with planned relocation

Elsevier, Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, Volume 50, June 2021
Authors: 
Boston J., Panda A., Surminski S.
Effective management of slow-onset impacts such as coastal erosion, desertification and sea level rise and their often-transformative impacts on communities and countries has remained relatively unexplored in terms of policy and finance responses. Drawing on relevant global experience, this paper investigates recent approaches to planned relocation as one possible response to climate change impacts and considers principles to inform the design of a fair and effective funding system. Relevant principles include minimizing long-term societal costs, pursuing intergenerational equity, integrating funding with broader sustainable development objectives and ensuring a high degree of transparency and accountability for the use of public funds.