Climate Adaptation Solution for Informal Settlers in Asian Coastal Cities

The United Nations Research Institute for Social Development has released the report Transformative Adaptation to Climate Change and Informal Settlements in Coastal Cities.

The report focuses on informal settlers in the city of Jakarta, Indonesia and Ho Chi Minh and their

• vulnerabilities to the impacts of climate change like flooding and storms,
• the gaping social inequality between the wealthy and the poor, and
• the contrast between the rise of high-end condominiums and the rapid increase in informal settlements as people from rural areas flock to the cities for economic opportunities.

In addition to the problem, Jakarta and Ho Chi Minh face the threat of being underwater in a few decades. Jakarta is sinking, according to a new report, and Ho Chi Minh will disappear underwater due to high tides without adaptive measures by 2050.

City authorities are debating the best solution to address the problem, whether to adapt through on-site developments or relocate vulnerable residents to safer areas.

Adapting through infrastructures like dykes and seawalls will not be sufficient to address the scale of the problem but would need transformative adaptation on a grander scale and magnitude that involves government system reforms, the report says.

As climate change adaptation is already being mainstreamed into sectoral and socio-economic planning, this is also used to justify the relocation of informal settlers.

By analysing the two case studies, one on each city, the paper seeks to understand the root cause of informal settlers’ vulnerabilities and seek solutions to address social injustice and ensure an inclusive, sustainable, and resilient future. 

Transformative adaptation remains conceptual, and much remains to be known about its practical implementation.

Firstly, what does the adaptation process look like? Is it participatory and inclusive?

Secondly, how can transformation be applied to address the community’s power inequality, ensure land-use planning that ensures climate justice for all, and consider future climate change impacts?

Thirdly, when is on-site development suitable and adequate, and how can a just and inclusive relocation or resettlement that addresses the needs of the people be implemented?

The paper also examines adaptation initiatives in both cities, seeking to identify barriers or constraints to transformation and suggest ways for the city’s informal dwellers to address the problem.

Through the analysis of the two case studies, the paper can identify the root causes of vulnerabilities to climate change and other social issues, inform policies, and guide transformative adaptation measures.

View the entire report by clicking the link in the “Source” section below.