Rising Seas: Climate Change, Displacement and Resettlement

Presented by Dr Celia McMichael, School of Geography, University of Melbourne

Migration, displacement and relocation are anticipated where climate-related sea level rise increases flooding and coastal erosion, reduces arable land, affects groundwater reserves, damages or destroys infrastructure, and presents threats to human lives and well-being. Whereas climate migration has previously been viewed as a crisis, there is now widespread understanding that migration and mobility can be adaptive responses to climate threats.

This seminar examines climate-related planned relocation. It takes its point of departure from recent research in Fiji among several low-lying coastal communities identified as under threat from sea-level rise. The seminar considers the ways in which people from these villages navigate:
(i) planned relocation as a current policy and practice response to coastal erosion and flooding; and
(ii) anticipate environmental futures in which sea-level rise, coastal erosion and flooding are understood and positioned as inevitably leading to forced displacement and relocation.

It considers the extent to which planned relocation is seen to be a crisis or an adaptive solution.

About the Refugees and Forced Migration Seminar Series

Across semester two, the Melbourne Social Equity Institute and Researchers for Asylum Seekers (RAS) are partnering to present a fortnightly seminar series on a range of topics related to forced migration, refugees and people seeking asylum.

Events are held between 1pm and 2pm on Tuesdays at Melbourne Law School, 185 Pelham Street, Carlton.

All events are free and open to all. Bookings are not required. For further information email social-equity@unimelb.edu.au

Semester 2 Program

Download a PDF flyer of the program