Global Risks and Research Priorities for Coastal Subsidence

Coastal lowlands are particularly vulnerable to the climate change effects forecasted for the 21st century including threats of inundation by accelerating sea level rise and increases in severity and frequency of tropical storm surges. These threats coincide with a worldwide surge in human population in coastal areas. Coastal population centers include several megacities, whose populations exceed 10 million. Many of these coastal megacities are located on river deltas that are also major centers for agriculture, fisheries, and hydrocarbon production.