Millions of people living in coastal regions are experiencing sea level rise nearly three times faster than the global average because the land beneath them is sinking according to a study published in Nature Communications.
Researchers from the Technical University of Munich and Tulane University found that residents in densely populated coastal regions face an average relative sea level rise of about six millimetres per year, compared with the global coastal average of 2.1 millimetres annually.
The study identified groundwater extraction, oil and gas production, urban development, sediment compaction and geological processes as major causes of land subsidence.
Countries including Thailand, Bangladesh, Indonesia, China, Nigeria and Egypt recorded some of the highest rates of relative sea-level rise. Cities such as Jakarta, Tianjin and Bangkok were identified as major subsidence hotspots.
Researchers said better groundwater management and stricter regulation of water extraction could significantly reduce land subsidence and lower future flood risks.