As seas rise, where will Louisiana’s fishers go?
A recent paper warns that New Orleans could be surrounded by water by the end of the century due to rising sea levels. The authors suggest that managed retreat may be necessary, but this proposal has faced criticism from locals who feel it is unrealistic. The potential impact on Louisiana's fishing industry, which relies heavily on New Orleans as a hub, raises concerns about the livelihoods of those in the region.
- ▪The paper estimates that coastal Louisiana could face 3 to 7 meters of sea-level rise.
- ▪New Orleans is a central hub for the seafood industry, which could be devastated by loss of access to the coast.
- ▪The fishing workforce in Louisiana is aging, leading to concerns about the future of the industry.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
A new paper generated a fair amount of consternation and eye-rolling when the authors claimed that New Orleans, the largest city in Louisiana, is at risk of being surrounded by open water by the end of the century. As human-caused global warming continues to drive sea-level rise, coastal Louisiana, the paper states, has likely “already crossed the point of no return.” Under the current warming trajectory, the projected loss of the remaining coastal wetlands in southern Louisiana puts over 1 million residents “in harm’s way,” according to the authors. Though that may sound shocking, it wasn’t the controversial part of the paper, which was published in Nature Sustainability this month — at least not to some outspoken critics.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Grist.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from Grist
