Managed retreat

Managed retreat involves the purposeful, coordinated movement of people and buildings away from risks. This may involve the movement of a person, infrastructure (e.g., building or road), or community. It can occur in response to a variety of hazards such as flood, wildfire, or drought. Politicians, insurers, and residents are increasingly paying attention to managed retreat from low-lying coastal areas because of the threat of sea level rise due to climate change.^[1] Trends in climate change predict substantial sea level rises worldwide, causing damage to human infrastructure through coastal erosion^[2] and putting communities at risk of severe coastal flooding.^[3]

The type of managed retreat proposed depends on the location and type of natural hazard,^[4][5][6] and on local policies and practices for managed retreat. In the United Kingdom, managed realignment through removal of flood defences is often a response to sea-level rise exacerbated by local subsidence. In the United States, managed retreat often occurs through voluntary acquisition and demolition or relocation of at-risk properties by government.^[7][8] In the Global South, relocation may occur through government programs.^[9] Some low-lying countries, facing inundation due to sea-level rise, are planning for the relocation of their populations, such as Kiribati planning for "Migration with Dignity".^[10]