DoRILS gives professional opinion on study about China’s major cities is sinking rapidly

Prof. DING Xiaoli, Director of the RILS and Chair Professor of Geomatics of LSGI, was interviewed by the journal Nature and BBC World Service’s programme “Newshour” to comment on a paper which suggests that some 16% of the mapped area of China’s major cities is sinking rapidly, and one in ten residents of China’s coastal cities could be living below sea level within a century. Prof. DING pointed out that while subsidence is not only a problem in China, the study, which was led by a scholar from Peking University, provides an interesting snapshot of the situation in China, and crucially links the issue to the populations affected. According to Prof. DING, the use of groundwater is the main cause of subsidence, and controlling the use of groundwater would be the key for controlling the problem.

Online coverage:

Nature - https://polyu.me/4b2VFE5

BBC World Service - https://polyu.me/3xKqaQY (45:05 - 49:05) (registration required)

Jandan - https://polyu.me/3U8hueF