Barcelona, 11 October 2017 - A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between UN-Habitat and Displacement Solutions, an organisation working on rights-based land solutions to climate displacement, outlining a framework for collaboration between the two organisations; globally, regionally, nationally, and at city-level.

The collaboration between the two bodies will be implemented with a focus on minimizing the impact of global climate change and increasing resilience of human settlements at risk. It is expected that this agreement will lead to new urban development paradigms for ‘predictive planning’ in (primarily coastal) cities and towns affected by sea-level rise and coastal erosion. The collaboration builds on UN Habitat’s City Resilience Profiling methodology and influencing the resulting resilience action plans via DS’ “Peninsula Principles”, and Climate Displacement Land Initiative.

These complimentary programmes will include increased awareness of options and solutions to access, legislate, service and commission land for populations displaced by rising sea levels, coastal erosion or shoreline breaching; Integrating research leading to best practice and up-scaling; and, through implementation of pilot initiatives in towns and cities participating in joint programming,  increasing their resilience to the impacts of climate change and other risks.

DS and UN Habitat will jointly carry out research, policy, advocacy and project design and implementation including joint design of project concepts, proposals and detailed project implementation documents; co-production of funding proposals, negotiation and securing of project funds; co-production of review, monitoring and administration mechanisms for project delivery; and collaboration in the development of external and internal learning mechanisms for DS, UN Habitat and their partners.