20090128 Sea level along China's coast to rise 0.13 meter in 30 years

clipped from www.chinadaily.com.cn Li Xiaoming, director of the department of oceanic protection of the SOA, said global warming, earth subsidence and unusual climate phenomena all attributed to the rise of sea level. The report said among all the coastal seas, the East China Sea saw the fastest rise in sea level, with an annual increase of 2.9 millimeter over the past three decades. Li said the rise of sea level could add to damage caused by marine disasters such as storm tides, coast erosion, sea water encroachment and soil salinization. The Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta, the Yellow River Delta and coastal areas of Tianjin -- regions located along the coast with the country's most developed economy -- are the key areas that will suffer the impacts of a rise in sea level, Li said. The SOA has suggested governments of coastal cities improve sea level monitoring and take the impact of sea level rise into consideration when making economic development plans, according to the report.