Beyond retreat: Land–seascape legacies of change and continuation

• Published in: Ambio Vol. 54; no. 7; pp. 1199 - 1212
• Main Authors: Hanna, Christina, White, Iain, Cretney, Raven, Wallace, Pip
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.07.2025; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Atmospheric Sciences; Climate adaptation; Climate Change; Conservation of Natural Resources - methods; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecology; Emergency preparedness; Environment; Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology; Environmental Management; Environmental restoration; Land use; Physical Geography; Research Article; Retreats; Risk management; Typology; Post-retreat; Disaster risk reduction; Climate change adaptation; Managed retreat; Planned relocation; Land use change
• ISSN: 0044-7447; 1654-7209; 1654-7209
• DOI: 10.1007/s13280-025-02142-8

Planned retreat is an increasingly common climate adaptation approach. Whilst effective at reducing exposure to unacceptable risks, it is subject to significant resistance. In response, research has focussed on risk, governance and justice, but there has been less attention on spatial perspectives, including how spaces are reconfigured and the resultant land–seascape legacies. We identify 161 cases of planned retreat and develop a typology to analyse land use change in origin sites worldwide. In many cases, we find land transfer from private to public ownership, and restoration of land and environmental relations, to a complete failure to consider spatial legacies. The research stresses the importance of moving beyond planned retreat as risk management to consider longer-term spatial relations. Consequently, we argue, the definition and practice of ‘planned retreat’ must include early planning for the values, uses and reconfigurations of origin sites, extending the bounds of reimagination beyond ‘retreat’ and beyond the site.