MAYOTTE, THE CHALLENGES OF AN ARCHIPELAGO

The grim realities of climate change

An episode from the series EARTH ON EDGE

Synopsis

Mayotte is a giant aquarium, rich in hundreds of marine species, which sometimes loses its colors when seen from the air. This results from mudflows pouring into the crystal-clear waters and asphyxiating the coral, the natural barrier that protects the island.

This environmental threat worries scientists, as the archipelago has recently been confronted with multiple scourges.

With the emergence of an underwater volcano off the coast a few years ago, Mayotte has become a laboratory for what could happen elsewhere in 2050. The land has sunk by 15 to 20 centimeters everywhere, and the water has risen by the same amount. For the experts, these are precisely the expected effects of global warming.