Overseas: French overseas territories on the front line in the face of climate risks

More intense cyclones, prolonged droughts, receding coastlines: France's overseas territories are among "those most exposed to the impacts of climate change" , warns the Climate Action Network in a report published on Tuesday, June 3.

Based on existing scientific data and enriched with local testimonies, the document provides an overview of the threats facing France's eleven inhabited overseas territories.

In particular, it warns of a 13% increase in the most violent cyclones (categories 4 and 5) in a scenario of global warming of +2°C, like Chido, a category 4 cyclone, which hit Mayotte in December and caused at least 40 deaths.

Other warning signs: the rapid rise in sea level, the accelerated disappearance of coral reefs – 70% are already degraded in Guadeloupe –, “more frequent, long and intense droughts” or even “the retreat of the coastline which will engulf swathes of territory” .

"These impacts have knock-on effects" and "endanger human lives, ecosystems and local economic fabrics," the report warns.

"This vulnerability is certainly linked to geographical factors, but above all to structural weaknesses," commented Benjamin Crettenand, author of the report, noting that several overseas regions "are in a precarious situation with (...) a dependence on the French State," complicating their adaptation.

These risks also affect areas already marked by significant inequality. In Mayotte, 77% of the population lives below the national poverty line, according to INSEE. The rate reaches 53% in French Guiana and 42% in Réunion.

Access to drinking water illustrates this vulnerability . In Guadeloupe, a cubic meter costs €6.52, a national record. In several territories, up to 63% of water is lost due to outdated networks.

"Adaptation is no longer an option but an urgent necessity," insists the organization, which calls for "financial resources commensurate with the challenges" and "climate policies designed at the local level."

As COP30 approaches in Belém, Brazil, in November, the Climate Action Network is also calling for better representation of overseas territories in the negotiations. "Currently, there is no system in place to ensure the representation of overseas territories in the French delegation. It would be good to have representatives from each territory to provide their expertise and perspective," says Crettenand.