The Sinking Cities Project is an ambitious, six city investigation into how coastal area are preparing for the threat of climate change-caused sea level rise. Brought to you by Unbias the News and The Dublin Inquirer, the investigation targeted Alexandria, Egypt; Dhaka, Bangladesh; Dublin, Ireland; Karachi, Pakistan; Lagos, Nigeria and Rotterdam, Netherlands.
The investigation revealed that cities are taking vastly different approaches to their preparation, but almost all are continuing to allow unrestricted real estate development and business activity, to the detriment of natural defenses such as wetlands. The disconnect between scientific recommendations and government action, as well as the disconnect between the level of risk and the level of global action and investment, presents a major concern for the destiny of coastal cities. The homes of millions of people and the economic centers of many countries are thus at risk of under preparation.
Visit the project website to read reports from each of the cities. hunbiasthenews.org/sinking-cities/
Photo credit: Walker Gawande
AWARDS
This investigation won the 2023 Climate Journalism Award in the Emerging Talent Category.
ONLINE
- The SINKING CITIES project, Unbias the News, 26/10/2022
- Are these coastal cities prepared for sea-level rise? Introducing: The Sinking Cities Project, HostWriter, 26/10/2022
- Karachi: Fighting an unfolding climate apocalypse, Unbias the News, 26/10/2022
- Dhaka: A Refuge that Needs to be Rescued, Unbias the News, 26/10/2022
- Rotterdam: A bastion against rising sea, for now, Unbias the News, 26/10/2022
- Dublin: Clash of priorities around the coast, Unbias the News, 26/10/2022
- Alexandria: Layers of history, levels of threat, Unbias the News, 26/10/2022
- Lagos : Profits over preparation, Unbias the News, 26/10/2022
- #SinkingCities: In Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, wetlands have been sacrificed for real estate profits, The Cable, 26/10/2022
- SINKING CITY: Lagos’ Wetlands Are Sacrificed for Real Estate Profits and Future Generations May Pay the Price, Foundation for Investigative Journalism, 26/10/2022
- #SinkingCities: Wetlands sacrificed for real estate profits in Lagos, News Wire NGR, 26/10/2022
- #SinkingCities: In Lagos, Wetlands Are Sacrificed For Profits. Future Generations May Pay The Price, Human Angle, 26/10/2022
- As Coastal Flood Risk Rises, the Council Seeks to Defend Property and Residents to Defend Their Landscape – and Nothing’s Been Built, Dublin Inquirer, 26/10/2022
- #SinkingCities: In Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, wetlands have been sacrificed for real estate profits | TheCable, Head Topic, 26/10/2022
- SinkingCities: In Lagos, Nigeria’s Commercial Nerve-Center, Wetlands have been Sacrificed for Real Estates Read, Legit, 27/10/2022
- SinkingCities: In Lagos, Nigeria’s Commercial Nerve-Center, Wetlands Have Been Sacrificed For Real Estate Profits, Daily Trust, 01/11/2022
- Dhaka: A refuge that needs to be rescued, Global Voices, 02/11/2022
- #SinkingCities: How drive for real estate profit imperils Lagos wetlands, future generations, Gazette NGR, 02/11/2022
- Chittagong: Industries versus individuals in limited water supply, Global Voices, 04/11/2022
- কোটি মানুষের আশ্রয়স্থল ঢাকাকেই এখন উদ্ধার করতে হবে, Global Voices, 05/11/2022
- Dhaka is sinking under a cycle of extractions and migration, Peoples View, 05/11/2022
- Sinking Cities Project: ‘Lagos: Profits Over Protection’, Toward Freedom, 09/11/2022
- Bodemdaling met zeespiegelstijging is een sluipmoordenaar; ‘Hoe gaan we ermee leven?’, pcz.nl, 23/03/2023
- Bodemdaling is nóg grotere dreiging dan stijging zeespiegel: ‘Gaat tien keer zo snel’, AD, 23/02/2023
RADIO
- Sinking Cities Gouda, npo Radio1, 10/03/2023
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