We know that climate change is one of the most dangerous global disasters that humans face in this century. Jakarta has become one of the cities that begins to sink faster than other cities in the rest of the world. According to experts, it is estimated that a third of the population could be submerged by 2050 if current rates of sea level rise continue. Therefore, it is known almost with total certainty that Jakarta sinks.
In this article, we are going to tell you what are the consequences of climate change that negatively affect sea level rise and why Jakarta is sinking.
Why is Jakarta sinking?
We know that climate change increases the average temperatures of the entire planet due to global warming. Decades of fossil fuel depletion and overuse of underground water supplies, as well as rising sea levels and weather patterns are increasingly making a dent in coastal areas. It appears that various areas of eastern Jakarta are beginning to disappear due to rising sea levels.
Keep in mind that Jakarta is built in an earthquake zone with a swampy land. In this area 13 rivers meet at the confluence, so the soil is more vulnerable. We must also add to this fact the existence of heavy traffic, a large population and poor urban planning. Jakarta is sinking as it does not have a piped water system in the far north, so local industry and a few millions of other residents take advantage of underground aquifers.
In the exploitation of these underground aquifers they already have some of the effects that cause Jakarta to sink. If we extract groundwater in an unbridled way, we will be causing the loss of a support by the soil. The land surface would be giving way in the absence of a support that can support the weight. Therefore, the rampant and large-scale extraction of water causes the land to sink. This makes Jakarta second up to 25 centimeters a year in some areas where they are most vulnerable. These subsidence values are twice the world average for major coastal cities.
Problems
We are aware that some parts of Jakarta are about 4 meters below sea level. This irrevocably changes the landscape and leaves millions of people vulnerable to the various existing natural disasters. If we take into account that climate change is melting the polar ice caps of glaciers around the world, sea levels will rise over the years. The more time passes, the more problems there will be and Jakarta sinks.
Faced with such a situation, floods become more common, especially during the wet season of the tropical nation. Forecasts estimate that the consequences of floods worsen as sea levels rise due to global warming. The lower the ground is with respect to sea level and the higher it rises, the greater the consequences and the more dangerous. Not only will the economy be altered, but there will be a forced exodus of the population to inland areas.
There are areas of Jakarta that have been occupied because of the rise in sea level and has caused the sinking in some areas of the city.
Jakarta sinks and possible remedies
Among the remedies proposed to alleviate this situation we find the approval of a scheme that aims to build artificial islands in the Jakarta Bay. These islands would act as a kind of buffer against the Java Sea and make the rise in sea level not so abrupt. It has also been proposed to build a vast coastal wall. However, in this situation there is no guarantee that the project estimated with a budget of 40 billion dollars can solve the problems of the collapse of the city.
We know Jakarta is sinking, and yet this project has been delayed by years of delays that will make construction more difficult. The construction of barriers to lessen the effects of rising sea levels has been tried before. A concrete wall was built along the coast in Rasdi district and several others with a high risk. However, these walls have already cracked and show signs of subsidence. It was not possible to prevent the water from seeping in and starting to create cracks. Water seeps through these walls and soaks through the maze of narrow streets and shacks in the poorest neighborhoods of the city. All this with the consequence of a lack of hygiene and budget.
Since existing environmental measures have had little impact, authorities are seeking other, more drastic measures. The measure is that the nation must seek another new capital. The location could be announced imminently, the safest being the transfer of the entire city to the island of Borneo.
It is quite a challenge to relocate the administrative and political heart of the country, but it can serve as an act of national preservation. Keep in mind that this plan is risky and sounds like the death of Jakarta.
Sinking cities
Not only is Jakarta sinking, but there are other urban centers as well. Throughout the world there are coastal cities with a high degree of vulnerability to sea level problems and climate change. Cities ranging from Venice and Shanghai, to New Orleans and Bangkok. All of these cities are at risk of collapse, but it should be noted that Jakarta has done little to address this problem.
Let us not forget that climate change not only increases sea levels, but also the frequency of tropical storms that cause major disasters in coastal cities.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the panorama of Jakarta sinking.