Have you ever thought about how much it could be complicated for a city grow insecurity? Well, nearly half of China's major cities are facing a serious problem: they're sinking! This phenomenon is not only worrying, but also quite alarmingsince we are talking about a lowering of the soil by more than 3mm per year in approximately 45% of urban areas. And in some areas, this decline is even more quickexceeding 10mm per year!
The main cause of this subsidence? L'water extraction underground, a widespread practice to meet the growing water demand of rapidly expanding megacities. But it doesn't end here. Other factors, such as the weight of increasingly massive buildings and mineral extraction, contribute to this problem in Chinese cities.
This situation is not new for China, with cities like Shanghai and Tianjin showing signs of sinking as early as the 1920s. Today, however, the problem is much more widespread and urgentespecially because it involves millions of people living in these risk areas.
The role of climate change and sea level rise in Chinese cities
And it's not just a subsidence problem. As sea levels continue to rise due to climate change, these cities are at risk of flooding catastrophic. But there is hope: studies have shown that there are effective strategies to combat this decline, such as the introduction of drinking water from other sources and laws that prohibit the use of groundwater for industrial and agricultural uses.
It is clear that subsidence is a challenge that requires a solution global And coordinated. What do you think, we will be able to find a way to to save these cities from disappearing?
And you, how do you think we can contribute to the solution of this global problem?
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