Property owners are being forced off their coastal properties because of the threat of sea-level rise, despite no scientific evidence the sea-level has begun rising.
A local council in New Zealand is offering to pay half the value of the properties but is threatening to force residents to leave regardless of whether they accept the offer.
Radio New Zealand reports that residents of Matata face the prospect of having their property rights revoked as a result of changes to the Resource Management Act.
"It may become easier for councils to force victims of climate change off their land if a precedent-setting decision in the Bay of Plenty is passed later this year," the report said.
"The Bay of Plenty Regional Council has voted to restrict notification of the plan change to directly affected parties – around 400 people – despite knowing the outcome will set a precedent for the entire country."
The affected homeowners want the proposal to be open to nationwide submissions but only one Regional Councillor, Bill Clark, supported their call.
“I think there is just such an enormous principle here,” he said.
"I do believe that folks in Invercargill (a southern city far from Matata) should know what's going on here and have a right to participate in the conversation."
If the land use is removed from Matata residents, they will be evicted by Macrh 2021. It will set a precedent for revoking property rights nationwide, based on the risk from climate change.