Angry residents of a small seaside village have already become "climate refugees", having started a struggle with the prospect of the disappearance of their native settlement. The village of around 1,000 people is located on the coast and has all the necessary amenities including shops, pubs, Indian restaurant, deli, laundry, golf course and railway.
Villagers are expressing serious outrage over projected climate change that could see their habitat washed away by the sea. Sea defenses in the north-west Wales town of Fairborne are set to cease operation by 2050, and the decision has already caused property prices to fall and businesses to be threatened.
The village, which fears becoming the UK's first 'climate refugee', is said to be facing difficulties such as a lack of surveyors and difficulties in obtaining mortgages, leading to lower property prices and large losses for owners.
Gwynedd Council's decision not to continue to protect the town indefinitely has led to growing anger among residents, who are left in a situation where even selling their own property is becoming problematic. The community is ready to fight, but the uncertainty of the future breeds optimism and a willingness to survive.
