The Intern Diaries: America's First Climate Change Refugees

Coastal towns and cities across the United States will have to relocate now or in the near future, as rising sea levels threaten their homes and communities.

Dateline reporter Jeannette Francis with Kivalina resident Colleen Swan. Source: SBS Dateline

Dateline reporter Jeannette Francis recently went to the US to meet people and communities, who are facing the prospect of uprooting their whole lives in order to avoid living in homes as they literally sink into the sea.

“I think it just really hit home when we were in Isle de Jean Charles, we spoke to a kind of a really old couple, the guy is 93 and his wife is 91, they were born on the island and raised on the island,” Jeannette tells Georgia Comensoli, in this episode of The Intern Diaries. “It’s actually quite sad, it’s quite sad that they have to leave. They’re literally being inundated.”

These residents have experienced the direct effects of climate change over the past few decades, and most feel their calls for help aren’t being heard.

“The biggest challenge is conveying things from the perspective of those who see it and live it.”

When asked what she would do differently, Jeannette said she’d better prepare herself for the environments they traveled to – whether that be preparing mentally, or packing warmer clothes.

“The Artic is not for the faint hearted I would say. You don’t go to the Artic wearing a Zara jacket. That’s my piece of sage advice that I would impart…It was cute in theory, even in real life, but I feel the Artic demands a little bit more than cute.”

Listen to Jeannette’s chat with Georgia here:

Click Here to watch the full episode: America's First Climate Change Refugee's