Sinking cities

This publication presents a comprehensive approach to addressing land subsidence from the perspective of more sustainable and resilient urban development. In many coastal and delta cities land subsidence exceeds absolute sea level rise up to a factor of ten. Without action, parts of Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok and numerous other coastal cities will sink below sea level. Increased flooding and other widespread impacts of land subsidence result in damage totalling billions of dollars per year.

This document presents the following key issues to address subsidence (10-11):

1. restriction of groundwater extraction;
2. natural and artificial recharge of aquifers;
3. development of alternative water supply (instead of groundwater);
4. integrated (urban) flood water management;
5. improving governance and decision-making;
6. decision support models and tools;
7. appropriate monitoring and database system;
8. integration of geotechnical aspects in planning and design of buildings and infrastructure;
9. asset management, financing and public-private-partnerships (PPP);
10. exchange of knowledge and best practices.