Integrating cultural heritage into climate displacement law: the Carteret islanders case

Abstract This article critically examines the insufficient integration of cultural heritage protection in legal frameworks governing climate-induced displacement, using the Carteret Islanders of Papua New Guinea as a case study. Current legal systems prioritize the economic and physical aspects of displacement but neglect the cultural and psychological dimensions, leading to the erosion of cultural heritage. This article identifies critical gaps by analyzing international, national, and local legal frameworks and proposes a new legal paradigm incorporating cultural heritage preservation into climate displacement law. The paper concludes with actionable legal reforms that ensure displaced communities' physical relocation and cultural survival.