Cities around the world are sinking; grundvattnet med mera

juni 07, 2025

According to a study by Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore.

The team studied subsidence in and around 48 coastal cities in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. These are places that are particularly vulnerable to a combination of rising sea levels, which are mainly driven by climate change, and sinking land.

Based on the study and population data from the United Nations, the BBC estimates that nearly 76 million people live in parts of these cities that subsided, on average, at least 1cm per year between 2014 and 2020.

Many factors can contribute to subsidence, including building, mining, tectonic shifts, earthquakes, and natural soil consolidation - where soil is pressed closer and becomes more dense over time.

But “one of the most common causes is groundwater extraction”, explains the lead researcher on the NTU study, Cheryl Tay.

It has had a major impact in half of the 48 coastal cities identified in the study.

Both Lagos and Jakarta are facing rapid urbanisation and growing populations with more than half unable to access piped water, turning instead to pumping groundwater themselves.

BBC World Service 7 June 2025

https://www.bbc.com/news/resources/idt-14d00552-9211-4dab-89d1-60e34e226e43

Jakarta, the fastest-sinking megacity on the planet.

https://englundmacro.blogspot.com/2023/12/jakarta-fastest-sinking-megacity-on.html

Lagos; population of over 20 million people to become the world’s biggest city

https://englundmacro.blogspot.com/2021/10/lagos-is-poised-to-become-worlds.html

Houston has a problem; It is sinking

https://englundmacro.blogspot.com/2025/05/houston-has-problem-it-is-sinking.html

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https://englundmacro.blogspot.com/2025/01/buildings-in-florida-are-sinking.html

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https://englundmacro.blogspot.com/2024/02/varldens-grundvatten-sjunker-varje-ar.html