Written by: Elisa Veritti
As USA withdraws from Paris agreement Louisiana Natives are threatened by climate change.
Donald Trump has recently confirmed that he will withdraw the US from the Paris climate agreement, claiming that the accord ‘will harm’ American jobs. He claimed that he came to such a decision in order to fulfil his solemn duty to the United States and its citizens. In the meantime an entire community in Louisiana,USA ,is facing forced resettlement partly due to the negative effects of to climate change. Infact Isle de Jean Charles in coastal Louisiana has lost almost 98% of its land since the 1950s. partly due to sea level rise.The land loss is also due to factors such as erosion and sediment mismanagement. Moreover years of gas and oil exploration have destroied surrounding marsh, leaving the island vulnerable to ocean tides; the loss of vast tracts of marshland and trees has left the island exposed to hurricanes and frequent flooding has stripped the land, making farming impossible. Of course the downward spiral of the islanders did not start with global warming: it is the result of a half-century of irresponsible oil and natural gas extraction practices. In January 2016 the State of Louisiana was awarded $92.6 million for the Resettlement of the Isle de Jean Charles community and implementation of the LA SAFE policy framework. The relocation will be subsidized by around $52million in government funds, , and will take a few years to complete. If we look at these numbers it's clear that those very policies that, according to Trump administration, are meant to bring benefits to the USA and foster growth are harming many american communities instead. The case of Louisiana should show that climate change is very real and "repairing the damage" is far more expansive than working toward a more sustainable and just economy.
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