26 October 2026

Introduction

More than 10 years after the endorsement of the Nansen Initiative Protection Agenda, the challenges of human mobility in the context of disasters and the adverse effects of climate change have gained much visibility and generated increasing interest from policy-makers, practitioners, researchers and the general public. The NIPA+10 blog series has shed light on progress achieved in terms of policies and laws, regional approaches and data on this issue, but one major gap remains: financing.

Evidence shows that virtually every country will see people displaced from their homes by the impacts of disasters, with 29.9 million internal displacements recorded across 140 countries and territories in 2025 alone. Cross-border displacement is not included in these figures, so the numbers are likely higher. Addressing a phenomenon of such magnitude, which is anticipated to worsen as a result of climate change, requires sustainable investment in prevention and preparedness rather than emergency responses alone.

The Protection Agenda (volume II) already highlighted a number of measures States can take to reduce and manage disaster displacement risks and help people to move out of dangerous areas. Among them, planned relocations were identified as a measure of last resort. This article focuses on concrete examples of financing climate-related planned relocations in the Pacific, including current challenges and promising ways forward, and lessons learnt that may be relevant for other regions.

The Pacific case: A regional approach to planned relocation and unique building blocks for adequate financing

Small island developing States are among the most exposed to disaster-related displacement, including as a result of tropical cyclones, inundation and coastal flooding, exacerbated by the adverse effects of climate change. More than half of Pacific Island States’ infrastructure lies in coastal areas, with their remoteness, small size and lower levels of development all adding to the risk. The World Meteorological Organization estimates that at least 50,000 Pacific Islanders face the risk of being displaced every year by these worsening hazards and their knock‑on effects on livelihoods, housing and access to food and water.

As well as being among the most exposed to extreme weather and increasing natural hazards, Pacific States face some of the toughest barriers to responding effectively, ranging from limited funding through to a shortage of technical expertise and institutional capacity. Yet, the Pacific is also at the forefront of developing world-leading regional approaches to climate-related human mobility, including policy frameworks and innovative financing mechanisms to address this challenge.

In 2023, Pacific leaders adopted the Pacific Regional Framework on Climate Mobility. This landmark document guides the region in ensuring rights-based and people-centered approaches to adaptation and human movement, including options to stay in place, to migrate, to ensure that people are protected if displaced, and to plan relocations, all while respecting national sovereignty. To turn the framework’s principles into practice, in 2025, governments endorsed an Implementation Plan, and in 2026, launched the Pacific Regional Guidance on Internal Planned Relocation, which connects international protection principles with regional priorities, national governance and community-led decision-making. National governments across the region, including Fiji and  the Solomon Islands, have also developed country-specific policies and frameworks.

Yet, in spite of this enabling policy environment, financing for planned relocations and climate mobility in the Pacific remains a major constraint. As is the case globally, financing for planned relocations in the Pacific is often fragmented and insufficient, with affected communities contributing much of the necessary resources to relocate. Examples of planned relocations in Fiji show that each process can cost several million dollars, and that multiple financiers are usually involved, from national and local government entities through to communities and civil society organizations.

In the few years, Pacific Island States have begun to develop their own solutions. Fiji has emerged as a frontrunner. With multiple communities already relocated and still more at risk, the government has comprehensive policies, including national relocation guidelines and standard operating procedures. Central to Fiji’s approach is the Climate Relocation of Communities (CROC) Trust Fund, a dedicated financing mechanism that pools resources from domestic revenues, including a luxury tax and international partners. To date, the CROC Trust Fund has supported only one relocation process, in Nabavatu, which is scheduled to be finalized by the end of 2026. The Government of Fiji has identified another 43 communities to be assessed for potential relocation as soon as possible, but funding is so far insufficient to cover the extent of the needs. This reflects a wider recognition that relocation is not a one-off expense but a long-term investment that spans risk assessments, community consultation, land acquisition, housing and infrastructure, and restoration of livelihoods.

Across the Pacific region, national funds in countries such as Palau, Tonga and Tuvalu, alongside regional initiatives like the Pacific Resilience Facility, are being established to channel more resources directly to community-level work. However, these initiatives are unlikely to meet the growing demand. So far, traditional development partners such as multilateral development banks (MDBs) and multilateral climate funds have played only a limited role in funding planned relocation.

Two large sources of potential finance: Multilateral climate funds and MDBs

The Protection Agenda highlighted the linkages between disaster risk reduction, development, climate adaptation and human mobility in the context of disasters and climate change. Investments in disaster risk reduction, development and climate adaptation are likely to reduce the risk of disaster and climate-related displacement in the Pacific and beyond. Conversely, securing adequate resources for rights-respecting, dignified and community-led planned relocations can contribute to climate adaptation, development and disaster risk reduction.

Yet, to date, financing for planned relocations by multilateral climate funds and MDBs has been hard to come by. The Green Climate Fund and the Adaptation Fund support projects across the Pacific, but rarely support planned relocation. Similarly, the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank have significant portfolios in infrastructure and public services, but have not yet contributed to planned relocations in the region. In part, this reflects limited demand from affected countries themselves. Additionally, however, complex issues relating to social safeguards, land rights and long‑term livelihood support can deter institutions from getting involved.

Unlocking climate and development finance at scale will require treating planned relocation first and foremost as a development and climate adaptation challenge. While planned relocation must remain voluntary and a last resort, it must also be built into development planning rather than being handled as an emergency response. This means aligning and integrating planned relocation within sector investments in community development, infrastructure, public services and livelihoods. For example, moving communities to safer areas can be combined with ensuring their access to local labour markets, schools and health services.

MDBs can play a greater role by supporting risk assessments, strengthening institutional capacity and financing integrated projects that combine relocation with broader development objectives. Multilateral climate funds can complement these efforts by co-financing planned relocation within broader investment programmes, rather than treating it as a standalone or exceptional activity.

Regional frameworks, national policies and growing political commitments provide a strong foundation in the Pacific. Further efforts are now needed to turn these into a pipeline of investment-ready projects with clear costs and benefits. Governments need technical assistance and support to prepare ‘bankable’ proposals that meet the requirements of global donors and lenders. Equally important is keeping communities at the centre of all relocation decisions. Participatory planning, respect for culture and land relationships, and attention to long-term economic, gender equitable and social outcomes are critical to achieving fair and lasting results. With the agenda owned and led by Pacific countries, demand for financial and technical support from international partners will grow. Meeting this demand will require tackling barriers to finance and ensuring that the funding instruments respond to the priorities of those on the front lines of the adverse effects of climate change.

The Pacific region has shown the world that it is not only at the forefront of the effects of climate change and disasters on human mobility, but it is also in the lead when it comes to potential solutions. The willingness of governments and communities across the region to work together and find collective ways to combat this global phenomenon, their openness to share and learn from setbacks as well as good practices, and their creativity when it comes to policy frameworks and financing mechanisms provide inspiration for other regions. Many developing countries (particularly Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries) are faced with similar and increasing risks and need to identify additional sources of financing to prepare a safer future. To align with their mandates to support their development and adaptation agendas, MDBs and multilateral climate funds could consider adapting their current practices to make them more accessible to at-risk governments and communities. The Pacific experience presents a fertile ground to pilot new ways to collaborate on planned relocation, with lessons for the rest of the world.

Christelle Cazabat is a Senior Research Consultant for the Asian Development Bank and the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. Steven Goldfinch is a Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist at the Asian Development Bank. Atle Solberg is the Head of Secretariat at the Platform on Disaster Displacement.