1st Edition
Housing, Land and Property Rights Residential Justice, Conflict Zones and Climate Change
This book explores various contemporary aspects of the growing field of housing, land and property (HLP) rights. HLP rights have undergone a major transformation in recent decades, but much remains to be done to bring their promise to the billions of people who have yet to access them. This work presents several innovative ways by which the entire field of HLP rights can be strengthened in support of those to whom they are promised by human rights laws. It outlines the author’s suggestions for creating a new World Restitution Agency, expanding our understanding of the term ‘internationally wrongful act’ to HLP crimes, the links between mine action and HLP rights in post-conflict societies and the need to include HLP issues in peace agreements. The book concludes with several chapters that outline suggestions for better addressing climate displacement, including the need for national climate land banks, the role of the courts and how to redistribute global wealth towards rehousing the millions set to be displaced from their homes and lands due to the effects of climate change. The volume will be essential reading for academics, researchers and policymakers working in the areas of international human rights law, housing, land and property issues, humanitarian issues and climate change.
Foreword - Andrew Clapham
Preface
Acknowledgements
List of International Instruments and National Legislation
List of Cases
Part I Introduction
Chapter 1. A Basic Reminder to States: Housing, Land and Property Rights are the Rights of Everyone, Everywhere
Part II Residential Justice
Chapter 2. A World Restitution Agency
Chapter 3. Treating Land Grabbing as an Internationally Wrongful Act
Part III Conflict Zones
Chapter 4. Housing, Land and Property Rights and Landmine Clearance
Chapter 5. Housing, Land and Property Rights Issues and Peace Agreements
Part IV Climate Change
Chapter 6. Coastal Governments and Climate Change
Chapter 7. Three Ways to Prevent and Resolve Climate Displacement
Part V Conclusions
Chapter 8. Where to Next for HLP Rights?
Selected Resources
Index
Biography
Scott Leckie has worked in the housing, land and property (HLP) rights field since the 1980s, carrying HLP and human rights efforts in more than 80 countries. He has published more than 20 books and 250 articles and reports on these themes and has worked for more than 20 UN and other international agencies in various capacities. He currently directs two NGOs he founded in 2006. Displacement Solutions works to prevent and resolve climate displacement across the world, and Oneness World works to explore viable legal pathways towards world citizenship and a unified global polity. He has also taught the world’s first law school course on climate change and human rights since 2009 and continues to regularly offer this course at Monash Law School in Melbourne, Australia.
