Photography Project Visualizes Climate Solutions for West African Coasts

A photography project in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria presents imagined images of coastal areas adapted to sea-level rise, flooding, and erosion. Semafor reported that the work, based on three years of research, shows designs for man-made groins and mangrove forests as possible protections. Adolphus Opara, the photographer, said visuals help residents connect with the issues.

“We could speak to communities, but if there’s no visual, people can’t really connect,” he told Semafor. He hopes the images will encourage locals to press leaders for the depicted measures. The project is led by the University of Ghana, the University of Lagos, and Harvard University.

It has been compiled into a photobook that toured the affected communities as a temporary exhibition.