Reflections on Climate Change and Loss on the U.S. Gulf Coast

The U.S. Gulf Coast serves as a common example for the risks of sea level rise resulting from global climate change. It is, however far more than a disembodied scholarly subject; the region is as diverse in landscape and... [ view full abstract ]

The U.S. Gulf Coast serves as a common example for the risks of sea level rise resulting from global climate change. It is, however far more than a disembodied scholarly subject; the region is as diverse in landscape and culture as any other part of the country, and home to millions who stand to be displaced by the encroaching tides and storm surges. This work follows my travels across the coast from Texas to Florida, resulting in a collection of creative nonfiction essays dealing with landscape history, place-based identity, and solastalgia, or feelings of distress in the face of a rapidly changing climate. Encounters with “nature” are varied and elude our best efforts to stereotype the south as unwilling or unable to engage with climate issues. From  "bait and bullet" environmental policies to islands that have lost 95% of their land, I encountered an enthralling natural and cultural history tempered by palpable grief over storms past and fear of what is to come. The port cities and barrier islands are already vulnerable to sea level rise, hurricanes and tropical storms, but their long maritime legacies continue to be threatened by the overwhelming presence of offshore oil. Spanning more than 1,000 miles, the essays paint portraits of the wildlife, industries, and people torn between world where oil is king and a sea that is rising around them. In this presentation, I will read selected portions of the essays.