Swallowed by the Sea: Where coastal infrastructure and jobs meet climate change
Life is shifting fast for coastal communities in West Africa. In some areas, coastlines are eroding as much as 10 meters per year. Stronger storms and rising seas are wiping out homes, roads and buildings that have served as landmarks for generations.
West Africa Is Being Swallowed by the Sea
Encroaching waters off the coast of Togo, Ghana, Mauritania, and others are destroying homes, schools, fish, and a way of life.
Coastal erosion washes away beaches, threatens tourism in Senegal
The problem for tourism in Senegal, is not high prices or mismanagement, but coastal erosion that is blighting the West African country’s coast. The Atlantic has washed away beaches, forcing hotels to make drastic choices.
Rising Seas Ruining Lives in Togo
Togo’s former capital city, Aneho, and dozens of surrounding villages, along with the main road that links the west African country to Benin, are likely to disappear from the map by 2038, if nothing is done to reverse the erosion that is currently eating away between six and 10 meters of coastal land each year.
West Africa Scores High In Disaster Risk
West African cities, both the large and the small, are expanding rapidly and face specific challenges related to infrastructure, zoning and spatial planning, which directly contributes to an increased risk from flooding. In coastal countries, such as Guinea and Sierra Leone, soil erosion and land degradation were the priority perceived threats.
Campaigns
You can make a difference by signing the Coastal Care petitions.