The Disappearing Louisiana Coastline

Land subsidence, a process in which the ground settles or sinks, has long been a problem in the Gulf Coast, especially in the state of Louisiana. From building levees to oil and gas extraction, many different activities have led to land in delta at the mouth of the Mississippi River to be swallowed by the ocean at alarming rates. Unfortunately for residents, there is another problem to face that will only exacerbate the loss of land to the sea: climate change.

These twin problems have caused indigenous peoples in this area of south Louisiana to be named the US’s first climate refugees. The Houma people of Dulac, interviewed in this video, are not far behind them as their land disappears and cypress forests are inundated by salt water. Some gulf communities are investing in adaptations, such as raising homes on stilts, but these measures can only do so much in the face of annual hurricanes. Structures like levees and roads, as well oil and gas infrastructure, are also at great risk. In fact, half of the country’s refineries are on the Gulf, many sitting unprotected.

Local organisations are doing as much as they can to support the plans to rebuild the wetlands and the cypress forests, which can mitigate some consequences of storm surges, but the effects of climate change are out of local residents' control. This video is a reminder that those least responsible for environmental degradation are often the most impacted by it.