Scientists have warned that New Orleans could become an island by 2070, and that relocating its population may be necessary if sea levels rise to higher projections.
Louisiana is known for being a particularly low-lying region, which makes it no surprise that New Orleans, a city of around 360,000 people, is vulnerable to sea-level rise. The wetlands that surround the city act as a buffer against hurricanes and storm surges, but these are also disappearing, and losing more of them could increase flood risk.
The experts, from multiple institutions including Tulane University, Yale University, Florida State University, and Coastal Carolina University, projected in a study released in May that the city could lose 75 percent of its wetlands by 2070, leaving it surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico, if sea levels rise by the 3 meters (9.8 feet) many scientists believe is possible…