In response to climate change (CC) countries take increasingly invasive mitigation and adaptation measures, which have serious impacts on the land rights of vulnerable people. Taking Mozambique and South Sudan as case studies, this socio-legal research aims to analyse and explain the implementation of such CC response laws and policies in developing countries with a weak rule-of-law environment. The knowledge it aims to produce is crucial to both ensure CC responses are effective and prevent them becoming another source of social injustices.