Resilient Economies Strategies for Sinking Cities and Flood Risks 2025

Takeaways Tokyo’s journey from crisis to stability stands as a testament to the power of integrated solutions. Within decades, the city’s actions reduced subsidence, with some data indicating rates slowed to 1cm per year.105 This case provides invaluable lessons for cities and organizations globally confronting similar challenges. –Decisive policy action: Tokyo’s transformation began with a clear recognition of the threat, leading to bold regulatory reforms and shifts in water and nature-based infrastructure. For governments, this highlights the importance of policy instruments. For businesses, it underscores the need to innovate in response to changing landscapes. –Multiple approaches: Success in reducing subsidence was not a result of isolated projects but of implementing different solutions. This strategy, where engineering, regulation and nature-based solutions reinforce each other, demonstrates that integrated solutions can support long-term resilience to subsidence. –Proactive investment: Upfront investments in water infrastructure, regulation, and advanced drainage systems have proven effective, protecting Tokyo’s economy and population. This highlights the benefits of prioritizing mitigation and adaptation initiatives. Tokyo’s localized sinking experience (cumulative) between 1900 and 2025 FIGURE 6 1900 1925 1950 1975 2000 2025-5-4-3-2-101 YearSubsidence (m) SLR* (m) Tokyo West Netherlands Manila Jakarta Hi Chi Minh City Bangkok Absolute sea-level rise *Sea-level rise Source: Erkens, G., et al. (2015). Sinking coastal cities. Proceedings of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences, vol. 372, pp. 189–198. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283771445_Sinking_coastal_cities. 20 Resilient Economies: Strategies for Sinking Cities and Flood Risks