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‘Point of no return’: New Orleans relocation must start now due to sea level, study finds (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) by supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz to c/collapse@sopuli.xyz
25 comments fedilink hide all child comments

"Louisiana is in a unique position to build expertise and infrastructure that will be the foundation for coming generations," said co-author Jesse Keenan, the Favrot II Associate Professor in Tulane's School of Architecture and Built Environment. "Transition planning is not only key to maintaining continuity, but it offers significant economic opportunities, from land-building strategies to renewable energy and new housing development."

"Congratulations! You are in a unique position to build expertise and firsthand experience for the future use of this never before tested ejection seat! Good luck!"

Being collapse aware is heartbreaking, it means recognizing that New Orleans, one of the most culturally vibrant cities on earth, is dying and will die no matter what we do now.

People understandably don't want to face that, they want to cling to places like New Orleans and it will only make the collapse that much more devastating.

Louisiana, even more than Florida, is a state of absolute collapse. I can't imagine how painful it must be to look at a city you love like that and leave for the rest of your life, but sooner or later people will have no choice and it will be better for everyone if they make that choice sooner rather than later when they are more desperate and it may already be too late.

link to open access article..

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-026-01820-z

Also see related article

https://phys.org/news/2026-05-louisiana-coast-world-early-climate.html

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[-] it_depends_man@lemmy.world 38 points 3 months ago

Yeah, but don't you think people are just going to sell their houses and move?

[-] Rhaedas@fedia.io 13 points 3 months ago

Some things will always be classic.

[-] zabadoh@ani.social 23 points 3 months ago

The irony of the 5th Circuit Court Of Appeals, the most ridiculously right-winged of the Federal Appeals courts, is in New Orleans.

Not to mention the State Government of Louisiana itself is captured by the oil industry.

[-] Know_not_Scotty_does@lemmy.world 11 points 3 months ago

Nothing of value would be lost if the 5th circuit were to suddenly sink under the sea like Atlantis.

[-] Agent641@lemmy.world 20 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

In Virginia, there's an island community living in a town called Tangier. It's highest point is 1.2m above sea level. Since 1850, they have lost 67% of their viable land to inundation and marsh creep. At the current rate, all the land will be subject to daily tidal inundation within 50 years. The population is about 430.

Most, including the Mayor, are climate change deniers, and 88% are Republican voting, up from 85% in 2000. They want government protection to shield their island from rising sea levels.

If this microcosm of society, who can literally watch the effects of climate change out their front windows each day, and see their community change year after year, can't accept the truth and act upon the evidence before them, what hope is there that any larger community will behave in a coherent and proactive way?

[-] AdolfSchmitler@lemmy.world 5 points 3 months ago

Why must you curse me with this knowledge??

Maybe it just shows obvious, observable facts don't have an effect. Maybe there's a peice missing

[-] ThePyroPython@lemmy.world 4 points 3 months ago

The piece missing is that unless exposed to critical thinking in education religious organisations will fill the void with blind faith. I'd bet a 1000 in whatever currency you'd prefer that these chuckle-fucks are praying for god to save them from the rising water levels.

The current most likely path is 2.5 degrees Celsius global temperature increase which will lead to water shortages, crop failure, and at least a billion dead globally from food collapse, and possibly millions will be killed from regional wars and the massacre of climate migrants; eco-fascist authoritarianism is now likely to be the political reality for the next 100 years.

[-] AdolfSchmitler@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

[-] ThePyroPython@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

Sorry, best thing to do is follow the old advice:

"Hope and fight for the best, plan and prepare for the worst."

[-] AdolfSchmitler@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

Yeah I know, seems like there's so much going wrong these days and so little a person can do about it. Tho I'd prefer looking the disasters head on instead of ignoring them so they can sneak up on me later.

[-] Someonelol@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 3 months ago

Ignorance and propaganda are a potent mix, capable of making their victims deny reality as it literally washes over them.

[-] IronBird@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

tbf, we probably could reclaim that area if the US had idk...a federal government that functioned for more than just funneling $ and children/woman into the claws of oligarchs.

[-] HurricaneLiz@lemmy.world 10 points 3 months ago

I said goodbye to NOLA after Katrina, and the mourning is still real. Some friends still live there, I wonder what they or their adult children in the future will choose to do when they have to move. It's one of the few places that actually has culture and beautiful architecture in America, if it could be rebuilt somewhere less concerning, that'd be great, but we saw how the culture is the people after so few were able to return after Katrina. If they just rebuild NOLA but the same ppl aren't there... what, new ppl are just going to be like "Yes, I will tapdance for tips or be a silver stature next to this gorgeous building and tarot reader for the sake of continuity." Doubt it. It'll be too expensive a city to live in, so the rich ppl who move in might have a gorgeous backdrop, but it won't ever be NOLA.

[-] chicken@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 3 months ago

https://www.redfin.com/city/14233/LA/New-Orleans/housing-market#trends

I guess it hasn't sunk in for most people yet

[-] AdolfSchmitler@lemmy.world 5 points 3 months ago

Great opportunity for someone to sell and move on their own terms before freefall and forced relocation.

[-] supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz 3 points 3 months ago

This fact makes me want to vomit.

[-] expatriado@lemmy.world 5 points 3 months ago

shouldn't have been built like it did, it was too low already before sea started rising, katrina was predicted long before it happened

[-] Rhaedas@fedia.io 18 points 3 months ago

I think NO was established long before knowledge of climate was known, but Katrina was the point where that decision should have been made, even though it would be a long term process. That's probably why the simpler path was taken. Long term projects don't get people elected or bring in quarterly profits.

[-] hanrahan@slrpnk.net 2 points 3 months ago

Similarly NY, Miami etal

uh well, FAFO

[-] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 5 points 3 months ago

And what will he done about it?

Nothing

[-] hanrahan@slrpnk.net 1 points 3 months ago

such a defeatist attitude, we're deliberately doing everything we can to make it worse. Then we declare victory!

[-] leburb@sopuli.xyz 4 points 3 months ago

Someone needs to inform Netherlands that they cannot have land below sea level.

[-] otter@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Hey, now. Ramesses I moved the entire city of Djanet (Tanis) 100km to the NW, way back when. I'm sure this'll be easy-peezy. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[-] IronBird@lemmy.world 3 points 3 months ago

mega-projects like that generally require some form of functional federal government, something the US hasn't had for a long time

[-] otter@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 3 months ago

The way things're going, though, we'll have a god-thing in no time.

this post was submitted on 04 May 2026
140 points (98.6% liked)

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