Courtesy of NAA:
Satellite data indicate that land is subsiding faster than sea level is rising in many coastal cities throughout the world. If subsidence continues at recent rates, these cities will be challenged by flooding much sooner than projected by sea level rise models.
Wu, Wei and D’Hondt (2022) measured subsidence rates in 99 coastal cities around the world between 2015 and 2020 using satellite data. Subsidence rates are highly variable within cities and from city-to-city. The most rapid subsidence is occurring in South, Southeast, and East Asia. However, rapid subsidence is also happening in North America, Europe, Africa, and Australia. Human activity—primarily groundwater extraction—is likely the main cause of this subsidence. Expanded monitoring and policy interventions are required to reduce subsidence rates and minimize their consequences.
North American cities described by the authors as being “fast subsidence areas” include (listed from highest to lowest): Hampton Virginia, Tampa Florida, Corpus Christi Texas, Jacksonville Florida, Annapolis Maryland, New York New York, Houston Texas, Mobile Alabama, Charleston South Carolina, Boston Massachusetts, Wilmington North Carolina, Seattle Washington, Gulfport-Biloxi Mississippi, San Diego California, Savannah Georgia, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, Miami Florida, and Providence Rhode Island,
To read or download their research, click here.
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