In December 2016, the White House Council on Environmental Quality, in collaboration with the Alaska and Hawaii Sea Grant Programs, and the William S. Richardson School of Law Environmental Law Program, presented a two day symposium, titled Climate Displacement, Migration, and Relocation. Over 100 participants attended the symposium, where several experts presented information and ideas regarding the use of law and policy as a method for assisting individuals and communities facing relocation as a result of climate change. Among those in attendance were people from affected communities in Alaska and the Pacific Islands, international and U.S. domestic policy makers, as well as academics and law experts. The discussions tended to focus on the linkages between human migration and global phenomena likely caused by climate change. In addition to expert presentations, there were workshop sessions that allowed all participants voice their thoughts and opinions. Conversations ranged from ideas on how to help affected areas by providing support for local needs, building partnerships, and communicating with media or the public generally.

            The biggest take-away from the event was that migration, relocation, and adaptation are all complex topics which many communities are facing world wide at an increasing rate. There is currently not any one best-fit solution. The symposium highlighted education, funding, and partnership as the essential elements for success moving forward.

            As efforts continue, it will be important to document what works, and what does not, making it easier to recreate successful resettlement project models. Participants worked together at the symposium to share their ideas for what has been working thus far and also what some of the greatest complications to date have been, though there has not been enough experiences with climate relocation to say for certain what does or does not work at this time. At the conclusion, many attendees commented about the amount of work there is ahead, but that they are optimistic moving forward.

            More information regarding the symposium will be available later this year in a special issue of the Climate Law journal.