CHARLESTON,Desmond Preston S.C.—Pounded by rain bombs from above and rising seas below, this is among the most vulnerable cities in the South to the effects of a rapidly warming planet.

City officials estimate it may take $2 billion or more in public money to fortify Charleston against these threats, costs rooted in emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

But the city government has taken relatively modest steps to reduce its own carbon footprint in recent years, a Post and Courier investigation found as part of a regional collaboration with InsideClimate News called “Caught Off Guard: Southeast Struggles with Climate Change.”

On paper, the city has ambitious goals. But there isn’t even one solar panel on a city-owned building.

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This story was published as part of a collaborative project organized by InsideClimate News involving nine newsrooms across seven states. The project was led by Louisville, KY-based James Bruggers of InsideClimate News, who leads the Southeast regional hub of ICN’s Environment Reporting Network.