From New Zealand to New York, people and communities are moving to avoid climate disasters

In Christchurch, New Zealand, a series of earthquakes between 2011 and 2013 destroyed buildings, shook foundations and collapsed bridges. Here, a footbridge is taped off after the damage. Matthew Williams-Ellis/Getty Images hide caption

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Matthew Williams-Ellis/Getty Images

In the face of floods, wildfires and other natural disasters, when should a community relocate to avoid potential harm?

This month's Nature Quest is about that very question. Listener Molly Magid in New Zealand wanted to know if and how other communities have chosen the path of "managed retreat." That's the purposeful and coordinated movement of people and assets out of harm's way.

The topic of managed retreat has been an ongoing conversation for many in western Alaska, long before the remnants of Typhoon Halong slammed into the coast and displaced up to 2,000 people from their homes. With climate change, these communities face increased flooding, coastal erosion and melting permafrost. For many, safety means going elsewhere.

Morris Alexie hopes that means his community of Nunapitchuk. A local tribal liaison, he says they've chosen a new site around 3 or 4 miles away on higher ground, "We would not be moving somewhere far from what we've grown up eating and living off of."

Speaking with Alaska Public Media, Alexie estimates it will take $277 million to relocate Nunapitchuk. So far, federal and state agencies have not stepped forward to help pay.

In this episode, we speak to:

• Elaina Sutley, a professor in structural engineering at the University of Kansas and associate dean for Impact and Belonging, and a laureate of the 2025 Blavatnik National Award for Young Scientists
• Miyuki Hino, a professor in the city and regional planning department and in the environment, ecology and energy program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Morris Alexie, a community engagement specialist with the Woodwell Climate Research Center and former tribal administrator for the Native Village of Nunapitchuk

This story is part of Nature Quest, Short Wave's monthly segment that brings you a question from a listener who has noticed a change in the world around them. If you have an environmental question for us to investigate, email it to us at shortwave@npr.org.

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This episode was produced by Hannah Chinn. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez. Tyler Jones checked the facts. The audio engineer was Robert Rodriguez.