Latest news with #coastalprotection
Zawya
2 days ago
- Politics
- Zawya
Ghana: President Mahama flags off work on second phase of Blekusu sea defence project
President John Dramani Mahama was in Agavedzi on Saturday for a groundbreaking ceremony for the second phase of the Blekusu Coastal Protection Project. The project, a significant initiative that will protect lives and livelihoods in the Ketu South Municipality of the Volta Region, was met with palpable joy and deep gratitude from the chiefs and people of the Some and Aflao Traditional Areas, who gathered to witness the realisation of a long-awaited development. The ceremony saw an emotional outpouring of appreciation, as community members sang praises and danced, celebrating the President's commitment to addressing their decades-long struggle against severe tidal erosion. Upon completion in four years, the project, which will protect an 8-kilometre stretch of coastline, is set to bring immense relief to the communities of Blekusu, Agavedzi, Salakope, Amutsinu, and Adina. Messrs Amandi Holding Limited is the contractor and will deliver 37 groins, extensive dune restoration, reinforced embankments, and other critical shoreline defence structures. President Mahama stated that the project is a comprehensive one that will extend beyond mere coastal protection. 'Aside from the coastal protection works, government has incorporated vital development projects to enhance the lives of the people in the affected area,' he noted. These integrated initiatives include a modern fish market, cold storage and processing facilities for fisherfolk, dedicated spaces for fish drying and smoking, a car park, and a lorry station. Additionally, public sanitation facilities and a comprehensive waste collection system will be provided. 'The sea has taken a lot from this community. It has taken land, it has taken livelihoods, and it has taken our peace of mind. But today, I stand here to say no more will the sea consume our land', the President said. 'We are here to reclaim what has been lost, to rebuild stronger, to offer our children a future where they are not forced to flee their homes because of rising tidal waves.' President Mahama added that the Blekusu Coastal Protection Project and other ongoing infrastructure developments reflect his government's strong dedication to building a better Ghana. 'This is not merely symbolic,' he asserted, 'but a clear demonstration of what responsive leadership can do when it listens, when it cares, and when it acts.' Phase I of the project, covering 4.3 kilometres of coastal defence works, commenced in 2015 under the Presidency of Mahama to mitigate the serious threat of tidal erosion in Ketu South. While that phase offered significant relief, the President lamented, 'Unfortunately, for nearly a decade after this, the second phase of the project stalled. Despite repeated appeals by residents, Members of Parliament, traditional authorities, and civil society, the project did not commence.' The President specifically referenced the devastating tidal waves that pounded the communities in 2017 and again in 2021, recalling the harrowing images. I can still picture the videos and photos showing the aftermath of these tidal waves,' he said, highlighting 'the pain, the anxiety, the fear that was etched on the faces of our fellow citizens.' He reaffirmed the pledge he made earlier this year during his visit to the Volta Region, promising swift action. 'And today, I am proud to say that this commitment is being fulfilled. Your cries have not been in vain. Your voices will no longer be ignored. Today is your day – a day of renewal and a day of reassurance.' President Mahama also announced progress on the West Africa Coastal Areas (WACA) Programme, designed to enhance coastal resilience across the sub-region. Currently awaiting approval, the WACA project is envisioned to extend coastal protection from where the Blekusu project ends, all the way to Aflao, securing Ghana's vital 550-kilometre coastline, which supports countless livelihoods through fishing, trade, and tourism. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency, Republic of Ghana.
The Independent
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Louisiana scraps $3 billion coastal restoration funded by oil spill settlement
Louisiana on Thursday scrapped a $3 billion project to repair its disappearing Gulf coastline, an initiative funded by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement. Conservationists called it an urgent response to c limate change, though Governor Jeff Landry viewed it as a threat to the state's way of life. Despite years of studies and reviews, the project, central to Louisiana's coastal protection plans, grew increasingly imperilled after Mr Landry, a Republican, assumed office last year. Its abrupt collapse means the state risks forfeiting more than $618 million already utilised for construction and losing more than $1.5 billion in unspent funds. The Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group, a mix of federal agencies overseeing the settlement funds, stated that "unused project funds will be available for future Deepwater Horizon restoration activities" but would require review and approval. A plan to rebuild disappearing land The Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Project aimed to rebuild upward of 20 square miles (32 kilometers) of land over a 50-year period in southeast Louisiana to combat sea level rise and erosion on the Gulf Coast. When construction stalled last year because of lawsuits, trustees warned that the state would have to return the hundreds of millions of dollars it had already spent if the project did not move forward. Former Louisiana Rep. Garret Graves, a Republican who once led the state's coastal restoration agency, said that killing the project was 'a boneheaded decision' not rooted in science. 'It is going to result in one of the largest setbacks for our coast and the protection of our communities in decades,' Graves said. 'I don't know what chiropractor or palm reader they got advice from on this, but — baffling that someone thought this was a good idea.' Project supporters stressed that it would have provided a data-driven, large-scale solution to mitigate the worst effects of an eroding coastline in a state where a football field of land is lost every 100 minutes and more than 2,000 square miles (5,180 square kilometers) of land have vanished over the past century, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The project, which broke ground in 2023, would have diverted sediment-laden water from the Mississippi River to restore wetlands disappearing because of a range of factors including climate-change-induced sea level rise and a vast river levee system that choked off natural land regeneration from sediment deposits. 'The science has not changed, nor has the need for urgent action,' said Kim Reyher, executive director of the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana. 'What has changed is the political landscape.' The Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group last year had noted that 'no other single restoration project has been planned and studied as extensively over the past decades.' A perceived threat to Louisiana culture While the project had largely received bipartisan support and was championed by Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards, his successor has been a vocal opponent. Landry recoiled at the rising price tag and amplified concerns that the massive influx of freshwater would devastate local fisheries. Landry has said the project would 'break' Louisiana's culture of shrimp and oyster harvesting and compared it to government efforts a century ago to punish schoolchildren for speaking Cajun French. 'We fought this battle a long time, but Gov. Landry is the reason we won this battle,' said Mitch Jurisich, who chairs the Louisiana Oyster Task Force and sued the state over the project's environmental impacts, including likely killing thousands of bottlenose dolphins due to the onslaught of freshwater. Landry said in a statement that the project is 'no longer financially or practically viable,' noting that the cost has doubled since 2016. 'This level of spending is unsustainable,' Landry said. The project also 'threatens Louisiana's seafood industry, our coastal culture, and the livelihoods of our fishermen — people who have sustained our state for generations.' The project's budget had included more than $400 million for mitigating the costs to local communities, including to help the oyster industry build new oyster beds. Project proponents said that the rapid loss of coast meant communities would be displaced anyway if the state failed to take action to protect them. 'You either move oysters or move people, and there's only one answer to that question,' Graves said. State seeks a smaller, cheaper solution Louisiana's Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, the lead agency overseeing the project, said in a statement that the project was 'no longer viable at this time based on a totality of the circumstances' including costs, litigation and a federal permit suspended earlier this year after the state halted work on the project. Chairman Gordon 'Gordy' Dove said that 'our commitment to coastal restoration has not wavered' and that the state plans to pursue a smaller-scale diversion nearby. Dove told lawmakers earlier this year that the state could save at least $1 billion with a different plan to channel river water into the Gulf Coast at a rate 5 to 30 times less than the Mid-Barataria project's 75,000 cubic feet per second. Conservation groups bristled at the change in plans. The Mid-Barataria project's termination marked 'a complete abandonment of science-driven decision-making and public transparency,' Restore the Mississippi River Delta, a coalition of environmental groups, said in a statement, adding that the state was 'throwing away' money intended to protect its coastal residents and economy. The coalition said alternative measures proposed by the state, such as the smaller-scale diversion or rebuilding land by dredging, were insufficient to meaningfully combat land loss and did not undergo the same level of scientific vetting as the Mid-Barataria project. 'A stopgap project with no data is not a solution,' the coalition said. 'We need diversion designs backed by science — not politics.'
ABC News
11-07-2025
- Climate
- ABC News
Fears king tide could inundate WA's Lancelin as council sounds alarm on coastal erosion
An expert says urgent action is needed to protect a small West Australian fishing town at risk of inundation from looming king tides. Lancelin, 125 kilometres north of Perth, is home to fewer than 1,000 people, but its picturesque sand dunes and beaches attract thousands of tourists each year. But while the town's inland dunes are famous for four-wheel driving and sand boarding, residents say the dunes closer to the coast have been steadily eroded by the ocean. With the town itself sitting below sea level, locals are concerned the combination of winter weather and forecast high tide could put their homes and businesses at risk. Glenn Trebilcock moved to Lancelin just over two years ago, hoping to spend the rest of his life running the beachfront Sands Hotel. Mr Trebilcock said he had lost 25 to 30 metres of beachfront to erosion since his arrival. "Everyone knows that the ocean's very cyclic, but not at this ferocity and rapid erosion rate," Mr Trebilcock said. Anxious about his business, Mr Trebilcock started a petition calling on the government for assistance. Within 24 hours, more than 200 people had signed in support. "It's my livelihood, it's my business, home and community," he said. Gary Screaigh has owned the Lancelin North End Caravan Park for 42 years and said he noticed the ocean getting more turbulent. "You can nearly surf on the beach here at times, whereas before the ocean's always been very placid," he said. But Mr Screaigh said he was not worried about the impact erosion might have on him. "I suppose it would be different if I was just beginning something, but I'm towards the end of my life," he said. Gingin shire president Linda Balcombe said damage to Lancelin's coastal barrier had become worse. "We've lost some shire infrastructure, which is in front of the hotel and it's moved at quite an aggressive rate," she said. The council has engaged coastal engineers and the Department of Transport for advice. Ms Balcombe said the engineers warned her of a predicted king tide, expected in August, which could pose serious risk to the whole town. Advice included the construction of a fresh dune at a 45-degree angle to the hotel and caravan park. The Bureau of Meteorology said while it was not a scientific term, a king tide described a "remarkably high tide". A BOM spokesperson said its tide predictions forecast some larger tides at Lancelin during August, but not the largest of the year. "If the king tide comes and we haven't got anything in place, we're not sure what damage could happen," Ms Balcombe said. "That could create inundation into the town and especially the caravan park. "It would also be devastating for the hotel … I'd hate to think it would be in danger of being closed down." The scope of works was expected to cost the shire $150,000, but Ms Balcombe said red tape around government funding had left them in the lurch. Ms Balcombe said she had yet to receive a response from WA Treasurer Rita Saffioti. In the state parliament last week, Midwest MP Shane Love, who represents Lancelin, asked Ms Saffioti to state her position on redirecting the funding. Ms Saffioti confirmed Ms Balcombe's letter had been received and was "working to provide an answer" in relation to the switching of the funds. Asked if there was any provision for additional funding in cases like Lancelin, Ms Saffioti referenced disaster relief funding where shires could apply after they lost infrastructure to natural disasters. "But Lancelin is not yet flooded," Mr Love said. Coastal oceanography professor Charitha Pattiaratchi said a sand dune would be a temporary fix, because Lancelin was built on an eroding coastline. "It's a thorny problem because to save our coast is going to cost a lot of money," he said. "In some places, we actually have to make the decision that this is not cost-effective to try to save this part of the beach and we have to let the natural process take over. "So that's the question, what do we save and what do we let go?"
Al Jazeera
09-07-2025
- General
- Al Jazeera
The Take: What would happen if coral reefs disappeared?
Coral reefs are dying at a record speed, putting a backbone of global food chains at critical risk. More than 80 percent of coral reefs are now hit by mass bleaching. Reefs feed millions, protect coasts and shape economies. What happens when they vanish – and is the world doing enough to stop it? In this episode: Heather Starck (@HeatherStarck), executive director, Coral Reef Alliance Episode credits: This episode was produced by Manuel Rápalo and Marcos Bartolomé, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Kisaa Zehra, Kingwell Ma, Remas Alhawari and Mariana Navarrete. It was edited by Alexandra Locke. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Joe Plourde mixed this episode. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad Al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take's executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads and YouTube
Zawya
07-07-2025
- Climate
- Zawya
Egypt accelerates coastal protection projects amid rising climate threats
Egypt is stepping up efforts to safeguard its Mediterranean coastline—particularly in the historic city of Alexandria—in response to the growing threat of climate change, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam announced on Sunday. During a meeting to assess ongoing projects, Sewilam underscored the urgent need for clear policies and practical measures to address the escalating impacts of climate change. He called for stronger coordination between executive bodies and scientific institutions, both within and beyond the ministry, to develop data-driven, systematic responses. The minister instructed key agencies—including the Shore Protection Authority, the National Water Research Center, and the Planning Sector—to maintain close monitoring of climate trends and extreme weather patterns affecting Egypt's northern coastal zones and the Nile Delta, to enable timely preventive action. According to a statement from the ministry, the first phase of the Alexandria Coast Protection Project is currently underway. It covers a 2-kilometre stretch from Bi'r Masoud to El-Mahrousa. The second phase, which spans 600 metres, is designed to reinforce the Corniche wall and roadway in the Loran district, while also restoring the adjacent sandy beach. Other initiatives include the construction of wave breakers in front of the naval forces' facility in Ras El Bar, located in Damietta Governorate, and the continuation of coastal protection works on Al-Obayed beach in Matrouh as part of a second-phase intervention. In addition, the ministry confirmed the completion of the tendering process for four new coastal protection projects targeting low-lying areas in the governorates of Beheira, Kafr El-Sheikh, and Damietta—regions considered especially vulnerable to sea level rise and coastal erosion.
