Report

Climate-Related Human Mobility Across Different Levels of Adaptation Governance

Lessons from adaptation planning and implementation in Costa Rica, Senegal, Sri Lanka, and around the world

This report analyzes how climate-related human mobility, such as migration, displacement, and planned relocation, is integrated into adaptation planning and governance at national and sub-national levels, drawing on lessons from Costa Rica, Senegal, Sri Lanka, and global trends to provide actionable recommendations for policy-makers and practitioners.

By Dennis Mombauer, Cristobal Lopez, Bonolo Segale on June 4, 2025

Key Messages

  • Strengthening vertical integration between levels of adaptation planning is essential, as experiences from these countries show that sub-national and local actors play a pivotal role in implementing NAP priorities and often drive national agendas on climate-related human mobility adaptation.

  • While many NAPs reference human mobility, most do not clearly address how these commitments are integrated and implemented across different levels of governance, resulting in gaps between policy and practice.

  • Approaches to integrating human mobility into sub-national governance within national adaptation planning processes include localizing NAP priority actions, developing sub-national plans, involving and strengthening local leadership, and improving sub-national information and finance flows.

This publication provides an in-depth analysis of how human mobility—including climate-induced migration, disaster displacement, and planned relocation—is integrated into national adaptation plans (NAPs) and sub-national adaptation governance. Drawing on global trends and case studies from Costa Rica, Senegal, and Sri Lanka, the report examines how countries leverage the adaptation potential of human mobility while addressing challenges of climate-induced mobility. Through quantitative analysis of NAP documents and qualitative insights from stakeholder interviews and three in-country workshops, the publication identifies good practices, typologies of policy integration, and actionable recommendations for policy-makers and practitioners working at the intersection of climate change adaptation and human mobility.

Funded by

Report details

Topic
Climate Change Adaptation
Impact area
Climate
Publisher
SLYCAN Trust e.V.
Copyright
SLYCAN Trust e.V., 2025