Louisiana – Climate360 News

How to build in a flood-prone city: a lesson from the Netherlands

26Jul

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Community, Louisiana State University, Policy, Technology

How to build in a flood-prone city: a lesson from the Netherlands

Map of the Army Corps of Engineers' proposed storm surge barrier in Charleston, South Carolina. Courtesy of Waggonner & Ball Architecture/Environment. By Sami Beekman, Nicole Nguyen BATON ROUGE, LA – What do New Orleans, Louisiana, and Charleston, South Carolina, have in common? The foundation of both southern cities’ modern infrastructure was built on marsh land in the 19th and 20th centuries. Through a combination of turn-of-the-century drainage systems, the shoring-up of levees, the filling of creeks and marshes, and other changes to the topography of the land through urban development, each city was designed to exist on stretches of land that were engineered into existence. Around 1900, municipal drainage systems allowed New Orleans to spread onto former mar...

Louisiana photographer takes unconventional approach to capturing climate change on the Gulf Coast

24Jul

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Community, Louisiana State University

Louisiana photographer takes unconventional approach to capturing climate change on the Gulf Coast

Pictured left: Louisiana Highway 1 Bridge over Bayou Lafourche sinks each year as a result of coastal erosion and ground subsidence. High water frequently closes the highway to travel. Pictured right: The southernmost area of Louisiana, Plaquemines Parish, is located at the end of the Mississippi River. It's often the first line of defense for severe hurricanes that hit the state. Photos by Virginia Hanusik By Sydney McGovern BATON ROUGE, LA – If you keep up with climate change, you’ve probably seen images of disaster – homes ravaged by forest fires or cities slain by hurricanes. Aerial shots of flooded streets, destroyed buildings and dying ecosystems have long dominated the visual story of climate change. But that’s not what you’ll find in Virginia Hanusik’s photography. Instead...

Experts say education and retraining key to successful transition to low-carbon economy

23Jun

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Economy, Energy, Louisiana State University, Policy

Experts say education and retraining key to successful transition to low-carbon economy

ULL's Mechanical Engineering Virtual Reality Lab uses a photovoltaic power plant model to facilitate virtual hands-on learning. The application teaches users how solar power is produced, converted and transmitted. Courtesy of The University of Louisiana at Lafayette's Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Energy Center. By Sydney McGovern, Samantha Beekman, Josh Archote Traditional energy generation is declining, and renewable energy is on the rise. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that wind turbine service technicians and solar panel installers will be two of the fastest growing jobs in the United States through 2029. The switch to a low-carbon economy is necessary to minimize the impacts of climate change. But with these changes comes a complex set o...

Southern Louisiana at risk of more severe hurricanes, heavier rainfall as planet warms

16Jun

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Community, Louisiana State University, Science

Southern Louisiana at risk of more severe hurricanes, heavier rainfall as planet warms

Broken tree limbs and debris sit aside a road in Lake Charles, Louisiana, after Hurricane Laura brought up to 137 mph winds to the City. Photo by Rob Perillo. By Josh Archote, Domenic Purdy LAKE CHARLES, LA – The last year of extreme weather in Louisiana has been devastating. Two back-to-back major hurricanes, an ice storm and a spring flood have left the region, especially Southwestern Louisiana, in a perpetual state of recovery.  The state’s fifth largest city, Lake Charles, has suffered greatly from each catastrophe, leading the Weather Channel to call it the “most weather-battered city” in America.  Today, as the state enters what’s projected to be another active hurricane season, residents are still battling with insurance compani...

Carbon storage, hurricanes and history: The importance of preserving coastal wetlands

14Jun

By Climate 360 NewsNo Comments

Community, Louisiana State University

Carbon storage, hurricanes and history: The importance of preserving coastal wetlands

Louisiana wetlands continue to disappear, threatening to displace coastal communities and release stored carbon into the atmosphere By Nicole Nguyen BATON ROUGE, LA – Louisiana native Jack Green’s family grew up in Lake Charles, and their history is rooted in the state and its natural landscape.  “People tie their culture to Louisiana and all these different cultures that are so endemic to the coastline, and I think that’s all tied to the land and appreciation of natural wildlife,” Green said. But many of the wetlands Green’s family grew up around had eroded by the time he was born. “When my parents were growing up, they would tell me stories of what it used to look like prior to now,” Green said. “There's still a little bit ...