Cities around the world are sinking at 'worrying speed'

a year ago

Cities worldwide are sinking at alarming rates, with Jakarta being one of the fastest-sinking cities.
A study by Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore highlights 48 coastal cities experiencing significant subsidence due to rising sea levels and sinking land.
Nearly 76 million people live in areas subsiding at least 1cm per year between 2014 and 2020.
Groundwater extraction is a major cause of subsidence, especially in fast-growing Asian cities.
Jakarta's severe sinking has led Indonesia to plan a new capital, Nusantara, on Borneo.
Coastal cities like Lagos and Jakarta face frequent flooding, with many residents unable to access piped water.
Solutions like dykes and pumping stations can create new problems, such as the 'bowl effect' trapping water inland.
Tokyo successfully reduced subsidence by regulating groundwater pumping and building a water supply management system.
Other cities, like Shanghai, use water injection, while Chongqing and San Salvador adopt sponge city principles to manage water absorption.
Long-term political commitment is crucial to address subsidence, despite initial unpopularity of measures like pumping restrictions.

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