The Dire Impact of Rising Sea Levels on Communities in Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau faces severe impacts from rising sea levels, particularly affecting the coastal village of Djobel. The encroachment of seawater damages farmland, contaminates drinking water, and threatens living conditions. Despite low greenhouse gas emissions, the nation experiences profound climate crisis effects, highlighting the need for global climate justice. Villagers voice their struggles, emphasizing the urgency of addressing their dire situation.
Rising sea levels are significantly threatening coastal communities in Guinea-Bissau, particularly the village of Djobel, which faces existential risks. As seawater inundates farmland, contaminates drinking water, and damages homes, residents are plunged into dire poverty. Despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, this West African nation experiences the acute effects of climate change, underscoring a pressing need for climate justice. Villagers like Aghoti Sanhan, 70, lament the devastation that sea encroachments have wrought upon their lives, stating, “The sea keeps coming towards us. The fields have been ruined by the seawater.”
Guinea-Bissau, with approximately 2.1 million inhabitants—70% of whom live on less than $1.90 per day—has its geographical makeup deeply intertwined with its socioeconomic challenges. After a long journey, I arrived at Djobel, where residents engage in fishing and limited agriculture within a marshy landscape. Schooling concerns regarding the rising sea levels are echoed by village leaders like Baciro Nango, who noted significant changes over the past two decades, including yearly flooding events that have devastated local rice fields.
An urgent issue resulting from these changes is the lack of potable water; the village well became contaminated with seawater five years ago, forcing villagers, primarily women and children, to journey four hours by boat to access fresh water. En route through Djobel, one can observe substantial areas of land rendered unusable, blanketed with salt, with abandoned houses illustrating the tragedy of abandonment.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) claims average global sea levels have risen by about 20 centimeters since 1900, attributed mainly to rising temperatures and ice melt from polar areas. Projections warn of potentially dire increases, with estimates ranging from 0.5 to over 1.5 meters by century’s end, depending on emissions trajectories and polar ice dynamics.
The predicaments faced in Djobel mirror a larger global narrative of climate change and its disproportionate impacts on marginalized communities. Efforts to relocate villagers, supported by the UN and the local government, have met resistance from neighboring communities, leading to unresolved tensions and delayed progress. Joao Tchedna emphasizes, “We have very little technology or money to deal with the impact of the climate crisis. The damage is already irreversible.”
The plight of Guinea-Bissau showcases the disproportionate impact of climate change on countries that contribute little to greenhouse gas emissions. Coastal areas, such as Djobel, are increasingly at risk due to rising sea levels worsened by global warming, leading to severe socioeconomic challenges for residents. Understanding the context of Guinea-Bissau’s geographical, economic, and climatic environment aids in comprehending the essential struggle of its communities against the encroaching sea and the urgency for international climate action and justice.
In summary, the rising sea levels in Guinea-Bissau exemplify a broader crisis of climate change affecting vulnerable populations. The experiences of villagers like those in Djobel highlight the urgent need for effective climate justice and support from developed nations, in order to mitigate the impacts on communities suffering from climate-induced adversities. Addressing these injustices is critical for the survival and dignity of those most affected by climate change.
Original Source: www.weforum.org
