Spotlight: Greta Rybus – Climate Change in Senegal

Greta Rybus, a Portland-based photographer, traveled to Northern Senegal and immediately observed the clear impacts of climate change. Hotter days, record flooding, extreme hurricanes, and severe droughts underscored the urgency of this global crisis. Witnessing these effects firsthand, Greta felt determined to document them and share the stories of people living through these challenges.

Her project focuses on how climate change already affects those who depend on natural resources for their livelihood. Through interviews and photographs of fishermen, herders, farmers, and scientists in Senegal, Greta highlights their struggles and resilience. The series illustrates both the beauty of the land and the hardships caused by harmful policies that neglect environmental well-being.

Fishermen, once dragging their boats across sand to reach the sea, now find the ocean at their doorsteps. Inland, herders and farmers can barely grow enough food due to diminishing rainfall, forcing them to take odd jobs in cities. These shifts demonstrate how climate change disrupts not only ecosystems but also traditional ways of life.

During her month-long stay, Greta worked with interpreters and community liaisons to better understand the local perspective. She found that discussions about climate change in Senegal often differ significantly from conversations with American audiences, reflecting distinct cultural contexts and priorities.

When I was in Senegal, most of the people I met were not only very well informed about climate change, but they also were enthusiastic about discussing it. Returning back to the states, I had to remind myself that there are people and communities who are resistant or unwilling to discuss climate change as a real, human-caused issue.

Greta is currently working on a print version of the story to send back to those in Senegal who helped make the project possible. 

You can see more of Greta’s work and the full project at gretarybus.com

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