ILE DE RE & ILE DE NOIRMOUTIER, PROTECTION AT ALL COSTS

The grim realities of climate change

An episode from the series EARTH ON EDGE

Synopsis

In 2010, the Xynthia storm made landfall, seriously affecting the island of Ré. In the North, the island of Noirmoutier was relatively spared but remains largely exposed to the risks of sea submersion, considering its location below sea level.

Since then, the government has implemented a coastal risk prevention plan. The alarming report has been deemed disastrous by some local elected officials and castigated by local associations that fear for the economy of the two islands.

What is the future of the Atlantic coast?