Rising sea levels and their potential impacts on coastal communities have been well documented in recent years, however new studies have revealed predictions highlighting that up to 300 million people may potentially be affected by rising sea levels in the coming decades.
Northern China has been identified as one of the regions in Asia that will see the most number of people affected in coastal communities. It has been estimated that rising sea levels across the country will threaten close to 100 million people in China alone, by 2050.
Many of those at risk live in the Bohai Bay area, in north-east China. It is home to Tianjin, a megacity of over 15 million people. More than 100 square kilometres of the coastal area is beneath mean sea level, making it especially prone to sea level rise. The coastal communities are a mix of fishing villages, ports centered on industry and natural wetlands. All of these are significantly under threat as sea level rises in the region. By using unique aerial photography, this photo essay focuses on visually communicating the threats and impacts of sea level rise on vulnerable coastal communities in northern China.
Sean Gallagher is a British photographer and filmmaker who has been based in Asia for over 15 years. His work focuses on highlighting stories from the front lines of the climate crisis and other global environmental issues, with a specific emphasis on the Asia-Pacific region.
