Policy interventions for disaster-related internal displacement in Australia

Abstract

It is projected that internal displacement of populations in the aftermath of natural hazards will occur more frequently due to climate change [1]. However, to date, 35 nations have implemented policy or legal protections at a national level to plan for displacement or to protect the rights of internally displaced people (IDPs) [2]. While no cohesive national strategy for internal displacement has been developed in Australia, a thematic analysis of climate change, disasters, and emergency management policies was conducted to determine if Australian policy acknowledges the issue of internal displacement or plans for its effects. The study found that Australian policy fails to recognise the needs of IDPs and the threat of displacement risk. The failure of national governments to implement policy and legislation on internal displacement has the potential to undermine the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and stifle the progression of international initiatives such as the Sendai Framework and the Paris Climate Agreement. Furthermore, the lack of recognition for the issue at the governmental level contributes to disaster displacement risk creation, placing vulnerable populations at risk of displacement and associated stressors. As displacement governance is an integral part of addressing the human impacts of climate change and natural hazards [3], this research suggests how displacement risk could be reduced in Australia through national-level policy interventions.