Subsidence and rising sea levels pose a long-term crisis for China's heavily urbanized coast if left unchecked.
Almost half of China's major cities face potentially devastating subsidence, raising the flood risk for tens of millions. A Newsweek map shows the fastest-sinking areas.The threat is exacerbated by climate change accelerating sea level rises, and could potentially displace populations and destroy infrastructure if left unaddressed, experts warn.
'The world's gently sloping coastal plains, including China's, are in trouble,' Orrin Pilkey, professor emeritus of geology and ocean sciences at Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment, told Newsweek.'Precise predictions are not possible, but I would expect 15 feet or more within a century from now with a maximum of 20 feet,' he said, predicting enormous sea walls and sea gates at river mouths will likely be needed.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
China's factory activity expands at fastest clip in 13 months, Caixin PMI showsChina's factory activity expands at fastest clip in 13 months, Caixin PMI shows
Read more »
Louisiana Map Shows Where State Could Be Underwater From Sea Level RiseThe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has created an interactive tool showing how the state's coastline could change if the sea rises by 6 feet.
Read more »
Illinois Map Shows Where State Could Be Underwater From Lake Level RiseParts of South Chicago may be submerged by the expanding shoreline of Lake Michigan in the future, experts warn, with whole neighborhoods lost to the lake.
Read more »
New York Map Shows Where State Will Become Underwater From Sea Level RiseNew York City and swaths of Long Island are vulnerable to being consumed by the rising ocean as sea ice melts in the coming century.
Read more »
Texas Map Shows Where State Will Become Underwater From Sea Level RiseSea level rises could cause coastal areas along Texas's stretch of the Gulf of Mexico to be consumed by water, modeling suggests.
Read more »
California Map Shows Where State Will Become Underwater From Sea Level RiseSea level rises could cause areas along California's seaboard to be flooded or entirely consumed by water, modeling suggests.
Read more »