The Global Map of Sinking Cities

While the world focuses on rising sea levels caused by climate change, many cities

are facing a different but equally urgent threat:  the ground beneath them is sinking.

According to the BBC, cities like Jakarta and Mexico City are subsiding by as much

as 30 centimeters  (almost 12 inches) per year.¹ This dramatic drop isn’t caused by

the ocean—it’s driven by groundwater overuse, rapid urbanization, and  unstable

soil foundations.

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