Some coastal cities are sinking faster than the ocean is rising
Coastal cities are experiencing faster sea level rise than previously estimated because the land itself is sinking due to human activities and natural processes. Research indicates that land subsidence in densely populated areas significantly exacerbates the flood risks posed by rising oceans.
Why it matters
This research highlights that coastal flood mitigation strategies must account for land subsidence, not just absolute sea level rise, to protect vulnerable populations.
Coastal communities around the world face a growing flood threat from two directions. Ocean levels are increasing, while in many densely populated regions, the ground itself is also sinking.
Researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and Tulane University found that this downward movement of land is greatly increasing the amount of sea level rise experienced by millions of coastal residents.
Coastal Residents Face Faster Sea Level Rise
More than half a billion people live in low-lying coastal zones, placing them on the front lines of one of climate change's most serious challenges.
A team from the German Geodetic Research Institute at TUM (DGFI-TUM) and Tulane University in New Orleans reports in Nature Communications that people living in heavily populated coastal regions experience an average relative sea level rise of about 6 millimeters per year.
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