‘A Rising Tide’ documents the first UK settlement at risk of being lost to climate change.
The UK government declared that by mid century it will be unsustainable to defend the Welsh village of Fairbourne from rising sea levels; and so proposes to demolish it and recycle the land into a salt marsh. The potential for the village to enter this state of ‘decommissioning’ leaves Fairbourne’s 800 permanent residents in a state of statis; with stagnating property prices and opaque policy leaving them unable to plan for the future.
Into this vacuum of information has stepped confusion, denial, frustration and conspiracy theories. Using original photography, interviews and archival documents;
‘A Rising Tide’ combines fact and fiction to attest to the resilience of community and the failures of government, at a time when important precedents are being set for the uncertain future of Britain’s coastal communities.
Mike Ruane is a photojournalist and documentary photographer working at the intersection of politics, space and representation.
He has a particular interest in the complex relationships between marginalised communities and the bodies which make decisions on their behalf.
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