Enhancing Social Resilience through Managed Retreat: How is climate justice addressed in National Adaptation Plans?

Climate change poses significant threats to coastal communities worldwide, necessitating comprehensive adaptation strategies. This study examines the extent to which National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) incorporate managed retreat as a practical implementation measure to enhance social resilience. As climate impacts intensify, adaptation efforts must go beyond traditional infrastructure-based approaches to include transformative and forward-thinking measures which account for the uncertainty of future climate change impacts. The planned relocation of individuals and communities from high-risk coastal areas can potentially minimize non-economic loss and damage (NELD), which encompasses such intangible impacts as loss of culture, psychological distress, identity, and place attachment. However, the implementation of managed retreat raises complex issues of equity and justice that must be carefully considered in adaptation planning. This research analyzes submitted NAPs from coastal nations to assess:

• The inclusion and framing of managed retreat as an adaptation strategy
• Consideration of NELD in retreat planning processes
• Incorporation of climate justice principles, including participatory approaches and attention to vulnerable groups
• Temporal aspects, including long-term planning horizons and proactive vs. reactive approaches
• Stakeholder engagement across government, private sector, and civil society

The study employs a qualitative approach, conducting a qualitative content analysis of NAPs with an examination of policy framing and discourse. Special attention is given to differences between Global North and South contexts, as well as variations in academic vs. practitioner perspectives on managed retreat and NELD. Preliminary findings suggest significant variation in how managed retreat is conceptualized and operationalized across NAPs. While some plans explicitly address NELD concerns in retreat strategies, many, if addressed at all, focus primarily on economic costs and benefits. Climate justice considerations are often limited, with insufficient attention to participatory planning processes and the specific needs of vulnerable populations. This research contributes to a growing body of literature on transformational adaptation and highlights the importance of integrating climate justice principles into national-level planning. By examining how NAPs can better address NELD through equitable retreat strategies, this study aims to inform more holistic and socially just approaches to enhancing social resilience in the face of climate change.