New Orleans residents on warning to abandon sinking city: ‘Nobody wants to leave home’
New Orleans residents and officials are pushing back against a scientific study suggesting the city has reached a 'point of no return' due to climate change. Local leaders argue the study is alarmist and ignores the resilience of the community.
Why it matters
The tension highlights the difficult intersection of climate science, urban planning, and the emotional attachment residents have to vulnerable coastal cities.
Jeff Williams, regional director of Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority; Debra Campbell, a lifelong New Orleans resident and chair of A Community Voice; and Arthur Johnson, the chief executive of Lower Nine Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development. Jeff Williams, regional director of Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority; Debra Campbell, a lifelong New Orleans resident and chair of A Community Voice; and Arthur Johnson, the chief executive of Lower Nine Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development. New Orleans New Orleans residents on warning to abandon sinking city: ‘Nobody wants to leave home’ After a recent study found New Orleans is at a ‘point of no return’ amid the climate crisis, some locals say they will ‘only leave if forced to’. But what would it take to stay?
The article presents both the scientific findings and the local political pushback.
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