The wetlands around Shanghai are receding. A report with the title Fragility and Adaptation of Changjiang River Basin Under Climate Change indicates that in the past 30 years, Shanghai’ s coastal sea level has risen 115 millimeters, higher than the rest of the country’s mean value of 90 millimeters. The report is co-authored by Chinese and American scientists and is timed for the start of the Copenhagen climate change talks, which will last for two weeks.Lu Jianjian, a professor from East China Normal University said, "The wetland at the Changjiang River estuary covers an area of about 300,000 hectares. If it is in good condition, it can take in the industrial emissions of Shanghai."
But now only about 10,000 square kilometers at intertidal zone of Shanghai is available due to the construction of industrial zones. Shanghai boasts China’ s biggest estuary wetland, but it is vulnerable to sea levels rising and now, according to the reports, the wetland can only absorb one-third of Shanghai’ s carbon emissions.
Global Times reports that experts predict that in 2050, the sea level will be 25 centimeters higher than 2010 levels.
Dr. Wu Hualin, chief engineer of the Estuarine and Coastal Science Research Center of Shanghai, pointed out, "Theoretically speaking, if we don’ t take effective measures, Shanghai will possibly be submerged in sea water in 2015."
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