Turquoise waters, idyllic beaches, lush forests... Like an Eldorado off the coast of Guinea-Bissau, the Bijagos archipelago displays its undeniable charm. But the site, endowed with exceptional biodiversity, and its inhabitants are now threatened by the advancing sea.

Recognized in mid-July by UNESCO as a world heritage site, the archipelago is home to colonies of sea turtles, hippos, sharks and rays, manatees as well as nearly 850,000 migratory birds.

It also hosts sacred sites and artisanal fishing, essential for its approximately 25,000 inhabitants.

Its 88 islands and islets, spread over an area of more than 10,000 km2, also encompass very diverse ecosystems: savannah, palm groves, beaches, mangroves, and rainforests. Only about twenty are permanently inhabited.

Rising sea levels and coastal erosion are exacerbated by the lack of a real conservation policy in this West African country, plagued by political instability.

"Every year we lose up to 2 meters of beach," describes Antonio Honoria Joao, administrative assistant and community facilitator at the Institute of Biodiversity and Marine Protected Areas (Ibap), an NGO fighting for the conservation of the archipelago.

He is in Bubaque, one of the most populated islands in the archipelago with nearly 5,000 inhabitants, and is making his way along the little remaining space of the coastline, obstructed by canoe wrecks, rocks and sections of collapsed walls.

"Fifty years ago, the beach was very wide. Today, everything is flooded and it's still happening," he said, judging that the island, mainly accessible by boat, is "in danger."

- "Fear" -

Adriano Carlos Souarez has been running a tourist camp on the seafront since 2020. To protect the building from the repeated onslaught of the waves, he erected a gigantic dam almost 10 meters high using tires.

Nevertheless, part of the foundations are damaged and a giant kapok tree used as a dike is also in danger of being uprooted.

"When I bought this land, it was 5 or 6 meters from the sea. But the distance has decreased," says Mr. Souarez, who says he is "afraid of seeing his house fall."

At the small market in Bubaque, where many people are busy every day, the facade also bears the marks of the sea.

"It wasn't like this before," recalls Joia Mendes Cno, 45, who describes a "sea that was very far away." This vegetable vendor is heartbroken because she "sees the water advancing every day without being able to do anything."

According to a report by the authorities entitled "Guinea-Bissau Strategic Plan 2025", the coastline is receding by about 5 to 7 meters each year, causing a loss of mangroves and threatening the lifestyles of humans and animals.

- "Insufficient support"-

At the root of the problem, Antonio Honoria Joao cites global warming and rainwater runoff which causes landslides.

But he also denounces a human factor with the rampant urbanization of the island or the dumping of waste on the beach which weakens the coast in the face of the advancing sea.

While several other sites are also affected, the extent of the phenomenon varies from one island to another, Mr. Joao points out. He explains that due to their location, denser vegetation, or the presence of numerous rocks, some islands are less affected.

According to UNESCO, there is a "strong likelihood" that climate change will lead to "potential risks of erosion and sedimentation within the archipelago".

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has long warned about rising sea levels linked to global warming and the risks to inhabitants of coastal areas, as well as the risks of increased biodiversity loss and extinction of certain species.

Faced with this situation, Ibap is trying its best to identify affected sites, plant trees, and raise awareness among the population.

But the problem remains unresolved, laments an NGO official speaking on condition of anonymity. "We receive support from some international organizations, but it's insufficient," he says, calling on the government to invest more in the preservation of the archipelago.