Climate change is the defining crisis of the 21st century. While increasingly there are efforts being made globally to spread awareness about the impact of human activities on the natural environment, the talks on the direct impact of the change on the human are still nascent. There are an increasing number of people who are losing their land, livelihoods and basic access to food and potable water due to the adverse effects of climate change. In an attempt to survive these people have no option but to seek sanctuary in nearby settlements (Myers, 1997). A rough prediction of 200 million climate induced migrants by the end of the century has brought this issue to the forefront and is being termed as the ‘human face of climate change’ (Myers, 1997). Caught in a ‘negative vulnerability cycle’ (illustrated in Figure 1) the displaced population lacks visibility, recognition and even a basic definitive category which makes it impossible for them to seek refuge or get national or international aid. Their migration is usually termed as ‘economic’ in nature and classified as an act of desire rather than survival. This research aims to establish this definitive category through a review of scientific literature. Further it highlights the social, economic and spatial injustice faced by the environmentally displaced people and investigates the role of spatial planning, strategy and good governance as a tool to address the issue. Using methodologies like case studies, field trip, deductive mapping, data and comparative policy analysis, the research presents a strategic framework to socio-spatially and economically accommodate the EDP’s. The strategy uses the ongoing and future migration for the socio-economic benefit of the sending and receiving regions. It aims to generate a sustainable livelihood pattern for the affected to enhance their climate-resilience as well as trigger their growth. It presents migration as an adaptive strategy for the affected population and focuses on community-based initiatives and self-organisation as central concepts. The research constructs and tests this framework in the context of the cross-border region of the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta (GBD). Being the largest and one of the most densely populated deltas in the world, it has been experiencing the impact of climate induced migration for decades. Further, the displacement of 40 million people by 2050, has been estimated.

Rapid urbanisation and globalisation are bringing increasingly complex issues to the forefront. Improper planning of human activities and over exploitation of the surrounding natural resources has successfully damaged the biodiversity and the natural processes. Today humanity is at a stage where these ecosystem services are essential for our existence but the resources have been exploited beyond their capacity. In addition, climate change adds additional long-term threats due to erratic weather patterns and extreme natural events. Coastal Lagoons are one such geographical feature where such complexities are very visible. Given the high fertility of the surrounding land and the biodiversity hosted by the lagoons, they are rich resource banks for settlements to thrive on. This has led to issues like water pollution, loss of biodiversity and urban encroachment. Despite protection from the international communities like the Ramsar Convention, most wetlands are degrading everyday. The need of the hour is to find innovative middle ground solutions, where the services can be availed without degrading the environment. Further, to plan these services in a way that they are instrumental in reviving and enriching the lost ecosystem. This project attempts to present on such design and strategy for the Muni-Pomadze Lagoon (MPL) in Ghana. Considering the complexity of the issues, the project chose a interdisciplinary and collaborative approach to produce a holistic solution for the site. Further, it uses the principles of Nature-Based Design and 4-P framework (People, Planet, Prosperity and Project) to guide and reflect on the design. (van Dorst & Duijvestein 2004) This report attempts to contribute to the research on interdisciplinary design processes. Further, it aims to be a starting point and guideline for the Forestry Commission and Municipal body of Winneba, for better conservation of the Muni Lagoon.