Urban subsidence seems to be just a distant geological phenomenon, but in fact it has become a major hidden danger faced by many large cities. Behind this, it not only reflects the huge pressure caused by human activities on the ecological environment, but also challenges and tests human wisdom.
Recently, a research paper written by scholars from South China Normal University revealed a set of worrying data:
It is estimated that nearly half of the cities in the mainland are sinking at a rate of about 3 mm per year, and about 20% of them are sinking at a rate of 10 mm per year.
If this phenomenon is allowed to continue, by 2120, one-quarter of China's eastern coastal areas will be completely submerged by the sea, and the living environment of nearly 300 million people will be greatly threatened.
The study points out that the main causes of urban subsidence are mainly due to two major human activities: first, excessive exploitation of underground resources, such as indiscriminate extraction of groundwater, oil and coal, resulting in underground cavities; Second, the increasing number of urban building infrastructure has put unprecedented heavy loads on the surface.
It is important to note that China is not the only country facing this dilemma. Globally, both developed and developing countries are facing the same problem of urban subsidence.
Countries such as the United States and Japan began to show signs in the 60s and 70s of the last century, and issued environmental regulations such as banning the extraction of groundwater at an early stage, in an attempt to curb this unfavorable situation.
Looking at the crux of this problem, it essentially reflects the uncontrolled plundering and overdraft of natural resources by human beings for a long time.
Under this vortex development, the geological balance has already been greatly disrupted, and there is little left of the load-bearing capacity of the surface. Eventually, it is only a "slight breather" for the earth itself to sink and collapse heavily in the city's buildings.
It's not hard to imagine how much damage will happen to the sea: homes will be swallowed up by the sea, critical infrastructure will be at risk, and the ecological environment will be devastated. And the "Mongolian Navy", which the world jokes, may also be nothing less than a prophecy.
At present, under the impact of the epidemic, economic development has been hit hard, the number of unemployed people has increased sharply, coupled with the resource crisis and environmental degradation are becoming increasingly severe, and the pressure on human development is unprecedented.
For both public and private purposes, it is an urgent matter to stop the phenomenon of urban sinking. Over-exploitation of underground resources and wanton expansion of cities will only lead to a thousand years of pain for the sake of immediate interests.
In contrast, rational planning of urban and rural layout and striving to achieve green and low-carbon development may sacrifice some benefits in the short term, but it is undoubtedly a fundamental way to resolve the phenomenon of urban subsidence.
After all, when homes are swallowed up by the sea and the ecology is devastated, the price we will have to bear is far greater than we imagined.
The living environment of human beings is like a big net, and any change will affect the whole. Therefore, it is everyone's duty to protect our fragile homeland.
Whether or not we can make rational use of resources and coordinate the distribution of urban and rural areas is not only related to the fate of a city or region, but also has a bearing on the long-term peace and stability of the entire human civilization.
Humans are smart and will be able to find a way to deal with it. But for now, we are far from taking the root cause of the problem seriously, and the relevant policies and actions are far from sufficient.
Therefore, we urgently need the attention and participation of the whole society to concentrate wisdom to resolve this major challenge facing all mankind.