According to NASA’s estimates, Louisiana has lost about 750 square miles of coastal wetlands since 1984. Check out the report for more details. In a recent paper published in February, researchers have predicted that three-quarters of Louisiana’s wetlands could be submerged by 2070.

In various coastal cities across the United States, the land is gradually sinking due to fossil fuel and water extraction, exacerbating sea level rise. By 2050, the sinking phenomenon could potentially put over half a million more people at risk of severe flooding.

Raising resilient children

Anna Dupont, 21, is one of the few young residents left in Cameron Parish. She cherishes her parents’ stories about the vibrant community of Cameron.

Before Hurricane Rita, Cameron Parish was a thriving, close-knit community that enjoyed festivities like crawfish boils and barbecues, with residents being proud supporters of the high school football team.

Dupont recalls nostalgic memories of fishing and birdwatching in the expansive wetlands surrounding her former home. She laments the loss of her favorite hangout spot, T-Boy’s Cajun Grill, which now stands as an empty lot.

Cameron is considered ground zero for climate change by Dupont, who witnessed her home being destroyed twice by storms before she even graduated from high school. Hurricane Laura’s impact forced her and her family to evacuate, leading to a sense of loss and emptiness upon their return.

Despite a joyful upbringing, Dupont saw her peers struggle with disrupted childhoods due to unstable living conditions post-hurricanes, leading to mental health challenges and substance abuse in some cases.

While many residents departed Cameron Parish after Hurricane Rita in 2005, others chose to remain resilient despite subsequent natural calamities. However, the proposed expansion of Venture Global LNG’s CP2 LNG terminal construction has stirred concern among the remaining residents.