Palavas under the waves: science fiction or reality?

It's now a fact that sea levels are rising: they've already risen by between 15 and 25 cm since 1900, and the rate of rise is accelerating; this phenomenon is one of the direct consequences of global warming.

According to projections by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), sea levels could rise by more than a meter by 2100 if humanity continues to emit the same amount of greenhouse gases.

In France, many seaside communities are threatened by coastal erosion and rising water levels. This is particularly true of Palavas-les-Flots. The town is living under this threat and will have to adapt.

To discuss this science and society topic, two multidisciplinary experts will be on hand to answer questions from the audience:

• Frédéric Bouchette, University Professor, researcher at the Géosciences Montpellier laboratory, coastal specialist
• Frédéric Grelot, Researcher and economist, INRAE (Institut National de Research pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement) at the Unité Mixte de Research G-EAU - Université de Montpellier, specializing in the risks and impacts of flooding.

The Bar des sciences has become one of Montpellier's flagship events for scientific culture, offering once a month, from January to June, a participatory and civic debate on all aspects of science. Throughout the season, scientists are invited to engage in a dialogue in which their knowledge and practices are not only shared, but also discussed.

The season is co-produced by the UM's scientific culture services and its partners: INRAE, INSERM and IRD.

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