Addressing Land Ownership after Natural Disasters (IISD 2006)

This report examines the critical issue of land ownership following natural disasters, highlighting its role in transitioning from immediate humanitarian relief to long-term reconstruction. Natural disasters disrupt land rights, destroy records, and create tensions around relocation and resilience measures, especially as climate change and population growth exacerbate their impacts. Despite the importance of addressing land tenure equitably, approaches vary widely among relief agencies. Based on the final results of a 2006 survey of humanitarian and development professionals—which gathered opinions and experiences on how best to tackle issues of land ownership after natural disasters—this report explores when land issues are most significant, the barriers to resolution, and the responsibilities of different actors, offering insights to improve disaster response strategies.