Mitigating the impact of resettlement caused by infrastructure developments

Abstract

In developing countries, mass relocation caused by infrastructure projects such as the construction of large dams wreaks untold havoc on peoples' lives. Although such projects can be beneficial for economies in the long run, they naturally require large areas of land. This means that people are forced to move and these people are entitled to compensation. In order to mitigate the impact of resettlement and enable those who have been displaced to resume their lives, and even thrive, it is important to establish an understanding of the factors and outcomes present in relocations. This is particularly pressing given that as the need for more hydropower and water resources is on the rise due to a growing need for solutions to mitigate climate change and to meet growing food demend, more and more land is required to support this and more and more people are therefore being displaced. Professor Ryo Fujikura, Faculty of Sustainability Studies, Hosei University, Japan, is working to help develop policies and systems for resettling displaced people. For 13 years, he worked with people who have been displaced, recording their experiences and the outcomes from resettlements and he is now using this experience to provide guidance for future infrastructure projects. His research tends to target people who have been resettled for more than 20 years, as the process of resettlement has long-term impacts. Ultimately, he is keen to contribute to the concept of 'migration with dignity' of displaced people by sea level rising due to climate change, enabling them to successfully reconstruct their lives and, more than this, to flourish.