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Hearst Television Investigation: Most concerned about future extreme weather, only half taking steps

Forecasting Our Future survey reveals disparity in addressing increasingly severe weather
Mark Albert
Hearst Television Investigation: Most concerned about future extreme weather, only half taking steps

Forecasting Our Future survey reveals disparity in addressing increasingly severe weather

you can see the sand and water spewing out of the dredge pipe behind me creating new land and the bulldozers and other heavy equipment all along the horizon. Now take a look at this seven mile long project from up above. While designing the restoration of this coastline. Project managers and the state decided to take into account climate change and shore up a coastline that's being gobbled up by sinking land and sea level rise rise. That is already hurting Louisiana families. This is home for 13 years. These stairs lead Duane Sylvie to his ports. Sulfur Louisiana home. Now they lead to ruin. Wow, this is home. Oh my nephew stuff my stuff. It's heartbreaking man. Seeing everything you work for. Look at Hurricane IDa blew away the heart from the Sylvie family home, surging floodwaters in and leaving mold, collapsed ceilings and washed up dreams. Everything flooded. Do you believe that climate change played a role in the destruction of your home? Yes, we haven't seen the storm. These storms get this strong, you know, and it's like it's getting progressively worse worse for his wife and kids and worse for this small neighborhood where IDa last year destroyed nine of the 11 homes, increasingly severe weather has now come for the Sylvie family twice. My grandmother and them lived here all their life. Katrina took her house. So let me understand this. Your grandmother lost her house to Hurricane Katrina and you've now lost your house to Hurricane IDa. What does that say to you? Something has to be done. Communities across the country know it. The National Investigative Unit sent an exclusive survey to every county in America and all cities. Over 50,000 people of those who responded three quarters said they are concerned about the effects of future extreme weather events on their community. Two thirds say they have already felt the effects, including floods, higher temperatures, more destructive wildfires and drought. And yet our survey found only a little more than half say they're taking steps now to address it. In fact, some still deny it's happening laporte county indiana told us, quote, there is no proof of increasingly severe weather events. That's a canard Stafford county Kansas told us it won't be taking any steps to prepare for a changing climate because, quote, we live in the middle of Kansas explanation point and Torrance California told us flatly, we provide records. We do not answer questions. Is this a coastal community in danger? Yes. Climate scientist Baylor Fox Camper says not only is a changing climate real, but it's already here. That's the message he took to a global gathering of scientists in new Orleans in december. So, those things that occurred once per century in the recent past will actually be annual events. We went with the Brown University professor, 90 minutes south of New Orleans where the waters are rising and so are the homes reaching higher and higher into the air on stilts. For those who can afford it. We're going to see almost a foot somewhere between nine and 11 inches of sea level rise by 2050 30 years a generation and a half generation and a half, we see that amount and the 2050 numbers are already baked in. So even if we were to cut all of our emissions today, we still are going to see sea level rise. It's too late to stop it altogether, but it's not too late to Avoid the worst impacts. Let's do this 100 ft. So, using a tape measure, we asked him to show us what a one ft rise in sea level predicted within 30 years will mean with just a 1% slope on a shore, a typical amount of elevation for coastlines. That's it. 100 ft right here. That's a lot of land. All these homes, all these homes would have water underneath them at high tide. I worry that somebody, you know, work their whole life and save their whole life to get that and that now that's being taken away from them through no fault of their own. Where do those people go? Where can we go? There's no place like home. They go where Duane Sylvie went now, making $16 an hour. He can't afford a new home or higher stilts. I grew up here my whole life so chased out of his home by a climate. He cannot control storms. He cannot beat and a flat footed government. He says that's abandoned his family. He and his kids moved in with his mother. And when the next severe storm comes, perhaps even stronger than IDa, the Sylvie family will have hardly anything left to lose. Can devastate your life, man. It can make you or break you, it can make you or break you pray for us, just pray for. And a changing climate is not just being felt and seen by people here in southern Louisiana. Instead, scientists tell us that longer droughts, stronger hurricanes, more ferocious wildfires and destructive intense heat waves are all connected to a changing climate, which means every community in the United States is likely going to be affected in venice Louisiana. I'm Chief national investigative correspondent Mark Albert.
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Hearst Television Investigation: Most concerned about future extreme weather, only half taking steps

Forecasting Our Future survey reveals disparity in addressing increasingly severe weather
Mark Albert
More than three-quarters of American communities are concerned about future extreme weather events, but just over half are taking steps to address the growing problem, according to the findings of an exclusive 'Forecasting Our Future' survey conducted by the Hearst Television National Investigative Unit.In January, Hearst Television sent a nine-question survey to every county in America and all cities with populations over 50,000 people asking about how a changing climate and increasingly severe weather events are affecting their communities.Of those who responded, 76% said they are "concerned about the effects of future extreme weather events," on their community. Nearly two-thirds – 64.9% – said they had already felt the effects of a changing climate, including more extreme weather events, hotter temperatures, more destructive wildfires/forest fires, drought and other impacts.And yet, the survey found, only a little more than half – 55.6% – are "currently taking steps" to address it and mitigate the damage to their residents and businesses.Some municipalities denied climate change is happening, contrary to the overwhelming consensus of the scientific community. Most recently, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) reported late last year that "Climate change is already affecting every inhabited region across the globe, with human influence contributing to many observed changes in weather and climate extremes." Local data is available to all, such as this state-by-state chronicle of a changing climate posted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).Even so, Stafford County, Kan., told Hearst Television it won't be taking any steps to prepare for a changing climate because, "We live in the middle of Kansas!" The city of Torrance, Calif., responded to the survey request by writing: "we provide records, we do not answer questions." And La Porte County, Ind., wrote in its response: "there is no proof of 'increasingly severe weather events.' That's a canard."'It's heartbreaking' Homeowner Dwaine Sylve has no doubt the climate is changing.His home in Port Sulfur, Louisiana, about 90 minutes south of New Orleans, had been built on stilts seven feet off the ground. But it still wasn’t high enough to keep out the floodwaters brought on by Hurricane Ida last year.Six months later, Sylve pointed out the large stains of blackish mold, caved-in ceilings and destroyed possessions."It's heartbreaking, man, seeing everything you worked for," Sylvie said during a brief tour inside. "Look at it."In all, his neighborhood lost nine of its 11 houses to floodwaters brought on by Ida. That's on top of Hurricane Katrina destroying his grandmother's house nearby in 2005.When asked if he blamed climate change, he answered simply, "yes.""We haven't seen these storms get this strong, you know? And it's like it's getting progressively worse," Sylvie said. "Something has to be done."Foot in sea level rise 'already baked in'Baylor Fox-Kemper, a professor of earth, environmental and planetary sciences at Brown University, says not only is a changing climate real, it's already here. That's the message he took to a global gathering of scientists in New Orleans in December, where he told the Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) that, based on the latest science, the rapid weather changes will continue to accelerate as the Earth warms."So those things that occurred once per century in the recent past, will actually be annual events," Fox-Kemper told the audience. Hearst Television went with the Brown University professor to the same parish as Sylve’s damaged house, where homeowners with the means are fighting rising waters by building homes higher and higher on stilts."We're going to see almost a foot – somewhere between nine and 11 inches – of sea level rise by 2050 – a generation and a half, we see that amount," Fox-Kemper explained while standing at the waters’ edge. "And the 2050 numbers are already baked in. So even if we were to cut all of our emissions today, we still are going to see sea level rise.""It's too late to stop it altogether, but it's not too late to avoid the worst impacts," he said.'Where do those people go?'To understand the threat of sea level rise in the coming decades, Fox-Kemper explained that the expected one-foot rise in sea levels on a typical shoreline (a 1% slope) would lead to the loss of approximately 100 feet of coastline. As a demonstration, a 100-foot tape measure was used to see how far into a row of Port Sulphur houses that future water line would stretch. Fully extended, the tape measure penetrated far beyond the homes' front doors. Watch video of the demonstration below."All these homes would have water underneath them at high tide," Fox-Kemper said. "I worry that somebody, you know, worked their whole life and saved their whole life to get that and that now that's being taken away from them through no fault of their own," he explained."Where do those people go?" he asked.Hardly anything left to loseThey go where Dwaine Sylvie went. Now making $16 an hour, he can't afford a new home or higher stilts. So, chased out of his home by a climate he cannot control, storms he cannot beat, and a government that, he says, abandoned his family, he and his kids moved in with his mother. And when the next severe storm comes – perhaps even stronger than Ida – the Sylve family will have hardly anything left to lose."It can devastate your life, man, it can make you or break you. It can make you or break you," Sylve said, standing on the porch of his ruined home.He added: "Pray for us. Pray for us."'Forecasting Our Future' Full CoverageSurvey: Most concerned about future extreme weather, only half taking steps Why a 1-foot rise in sea level has a bigger impact than you thinkInside America's 'forest census' Spurred by climate urgency, communities begin searching for water All 'Forecasting Our Future' special reportsMark Albert is the chief national investigative correspondent for the Hearst Television National Investigative Unit, based in Washington D.C. April Chunko, Jeannie Kopstein & Kevin Rothstein contributed to this report.Know of climate-related stories you'd like us to cover for our 'Forecasting Our Future' series? Have a confidential tip or inside information? Send information and documents to the National Investigative Unit at investigate@hearst.com.
PORT SULPHUR, La. —

More than three-quarters of American communities are concerned about future extreme weather events, but just over half are taking steps to address the growing problem, according to the findings of an exclusive 'Forecasting Our Future' survey conducted by the Hearst Television National Investigative Unit.

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In January, Hearst Television sent a nine-question survey to every county in America and all cities with populations over 50,000 people asking about how a changing climate and increasingly severe weather events are affecting their communities.

Of those who responded, 76% said they are "concerned about the effects of future extreme weather events," on their community. Nearly two-thirds – 64.9% – said they had already felt the effects of a changing climate, including more extreme weather events, hotter temperatures, more destructive wildfires/forest fires, drought and other impacts.

And yet, the survey found, only a little more than half – 55.6% – are "currently taking steps" to address it and mitigate the damage to their residents and businesses.

Some municipalities denied climate change is happening, contrary to the overwhelming consensus of the scientific community. Most recently, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) reported late last year that "Climate change is already affecting every inhabited region across the globe, with human influence contributing to many observed changes in weather and climate extremes." Local data is available to all, such as this state-by-state chronicle of a changing climate posted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Even so, Stafford County, Kan., told Hearst Television it won't be taking any steps to prepare for a changing climate because, "We live in the middle of Kansas!" The city of Torrance, Calif., responded to the survey request by writing: "we provide records, we do not answer questions." And La Porte County, Ind., wrote in its response: "there is no proof of 'increasingly severe weather events.' That's a canard."

'It's heartbreaking'

Homeowner Dwaine Sylve has no doubt the climate is changing.

homeowner dwaine sylve, whose home was left unlivable by hurricane ida, speaks to chief national investigative correspondent mark albert
Hearst Television
Homeowner Dwaine Sylve, whose home was left unlivable by Hurricane Ida, speaks to Chief National Investigative Correspondent Mark Albert

His home in Port Sulfur, Louisiana, about 90 minutes south of New Orleans, had been built on stilts seven feet off the ground. But it still wasn’t high enough to keep out the floodwaters brought on by Hurricane Ida last year.

Six months later, Sylve pointed out the large stains of blackish mold, caved-in ceilings and destroyed possessions.

blackish mold covers the walls of dwaine sylve’s port sulphur, la., home, whose home was left unlivable by hurricane ida, speaks to chief national investigative correspondent mark albert
Hearst Television
Blackish mold covers the walls of Dwaine Sylve’s Port Sulphur, La., home, whose home was left unlivable by Hurricane Ida, speaks to Chief National Investigative Correspondent Mark Albert

"It's heartbreaking, man, seeing everything you worked for," Sylvie said during a brief tour inside. "Look at it."

In all, his neighborhood lost nine of its 11 houses to floodwaters brought on by Ida. That's on top of Hurricane Katrina destroying his grandmother's house nearby in 2005.

When asked if he blamed climate change, he answered simply, "yes."

"We haven't seen these storms get this strong, you know? And it's like it's getting progressively worse," Sylvie said. "Something has to be done."

Foot in sea level rise 'already baked in'

Baylor Fox-Kemper, a professor of earth, environmental and planetary sciences at Brown University, says not only is a changing climate real, it's already here.

That's the message he took to a global gathering of scientists in New Orleans in December, where he told the Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) that, based on the latest science, the rapid weather changes will continue to accelerate as the Earth warms.

"So those things that occurred once per century in the recent past, will actually be annual events," Fox-Kemper told the audience.

Hearst Television went with the Brown University professor to the same parish as Sylve’s damaged house, where homeowners with the means are fighting rising waters by building homes higher and higher on stilts.

brown university professor baylor fox-kemper speaks to chief national investigative correspondent mark albert in port sulphur
Hearst Television
Brown University professor Baylor Fox-Kemper speaks to Chief National Investigative Correspondent Mark Albert in Port Sulphur, La., in December

"We're going to see almost a foot – somewhere between nine and 11 inches – of sea level rise by 2050 – a generation and a half, we see that amount," Fox-Kemper explained while standing at the waters’ edge. "And the 2050 numbers are already baked in. So even if we were to cut all of our emissions today, we still are going to see sea level rise."

"It's too late to stop it altogether, but it's not too late to avoid the worst impacts," he said.

'Where do those people go?'

To understand the threat of sea level rise in the coming decades, Fox-Kemper explained that the expected one-foot rise in sea levels on a typical shoreline (a 1% slope) would lead to the loss of approximately 100 feet of coastline.

As a demonstration, a 100-foot tape measure was used to see how far into a row of Port Sulphur houses that future water line would stretch. Fully extended, the tape measure penetrated far beyond the homes' front doors. Watch video of the demonstration below.

"All these homes would have water underneath them at high tide," Fox-Kemper said.

"I worry that somebody, you know, worked their whole life and saved their whole life to get that and that now that's being taken away from them through no fault of their own," he explained.

"Where do those people go?" he asked.

Hardly anything left to lose

They go where Dwaine Sylvie went.

Now making $16 an hour, he can't afford a new home or higher stilts.

So, chased out of his home by a climate he cannot control, storms he cannot beat, and a government that, he says, abandoned his family, he and his kids moved in with his mother.
And when the next severe storm comes – perhaps even stronger than Ida – the Sylve family will have hardly anything left to lose.

dwaine sylve, chased out of his home by hurricane ida, stands on the porch of his ruined home in port sulphur, la., in december
Hearst Television
Dwaine Sylve, chased out of his home by Hurricane Ida, stands on the porch of his ruined home in Port Sulphur, La., in December

"It can devastate your life, man, it can make you or break you. It can make you or break you," Sylve said, standing on the porch of his ruined home.

He added: "Pray for us. Pray for us."

'Forecasting Our Future' Full Coverage

Mark Albert is the chief national investigative correspondent for the Hearst Television National Investigative Unit, based in Washington D.C. April Chunko, Jeannie Kopstein & Kevin Rothstein contributed to this report.

Know of climate-related stories you'd like us to cover for our 'Forecasting Our Future' series? Have a confidential tip or inside information? Send information and documents to the National Investigative Unit at investigate@hearst.com.