China is facing a crisis of epic proportions as climate change-induced flooding threatens millions of people.
A recent study published in Science warns that the situation in China will only worsen over time.
Almost half of the country’s major cities are experiencing sinking problems, with a quarter of coastal land expected to submerge below sea level in the near future.
This land subsidence could have a devastating impact on hundreds of millions of residents in affected areas.
Natural and human factors such as groundwater depletion and urban development are contributing to the sinking of cities like Beijing, Fuzhou, Hefei, and Xi’an.
Combined with rising sea levels due to climate change, the consequences are described as “terrifying” by geophysicist Wei Meng.
If current trends continue, about 10% of China’s coastal population could be living below sea level within the next century.
China’s rapid industrialization and unchecked resource consumption are exacerbating the problem, putting even more strain on the country’s fragile ecosystems.
The study reveals that approximately 16% of mapped city areas are sinking rapidly, while around 45% are sinking at a moderate rate, risking the livelihoods of millions of people.
With a quarter of China’s coastal lands at risk of submerging in the coming decades, urgent action is needed to prevent a humanitarian and environmental disaster.
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