Coastal Hazards in China

     China experiences several coastal problems due to rapid development, environmental stress, and climate change. These issues can make the country susceptible to long-term damage on the Eastern coastline. Coastal erosion in cities like Shanghai are losing land because of beaches and wetlands shrinking. The variables that cause coastal erosion in China include extreme weather, climate change, and human development activities such as building the Three Gorges Dam and sand mining. While the land shrinks back, sea levels are rising from local land subsidence and climate change. The coastal sea level in China rose at an annual rate of 3.9 mm during 1993–2020 and reached its third highest level in 2020. Amongst one of China's most dangerous coastal hazards is typhoons and storm surge risks. On the Southeastern coastline, Fujian and Guangdong provinces are frequently hit by powerful typhoons which results in coastal flooding and economic loss from infrastructure damage. These tropical storms are only getting stronger with the Earth warming up from climate change. 

China has implemented a range of mitigation efforts to minimize these coastal hazards. Hard defenses have been built such as seawalls and breakers to protect the coast from more erosion and storm surges. Dikes and tide barriers control tidal flow from destroying cities and farmland. To reduce land subsidence, groundwater extraction is being more regulated and water recycling is more common. The National Marine Data Center of China closely monitors sea level rise and ocean temperatures. If there is a potential threat to nearby civilization, warning systems are used to keep people safe.  



Rapid migration of mainland China's coastal erosion vulnerability du e to anthropogenic changes - ScienceDirect

Sea-level change in coastal areas of China: Status in 2021 - ScienceDirect

Record rise in China’s sea levels from global warming threatens coastal cities like Shanghai | CNN

China's self-developed intelligent platforms enhance marine early warning, forecasting capabilities - Global Times

Comments

  1. Mallory S.May 2, 2025 at 12:29 PM

    Hi Alexandra!
    I really enjoyed reading your post! It’s fascinating to note that China faces similar coastal hazards as South Korea, particularly the pressing issue of coastal erosion. This phenomenon can have devastating impacts on ecosystems, local economies, and communities. It’s crucial that we prioritize addressing this challenge in every country affected by such hazards to ensure the protection and sustainability of our coastlines.
    —Mallory

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