Resilient Economies Strategies for Sinking Cities and Flood Risks 2025

TABLE 2 Action areas for public-private sectors and stakeholders to address sinking cities (non-exhaustive) (continued) Stakeholders Recommended actions Insurance and financeUse subsidence data in underwriting and risk-based premiums. Partner in public-private risk pooling models. Require disclosure of groundwater reliance in high-risk zones. Offer premium reductions for structures with mitigation measures. Finance adaptive infrastructure and recharge projects. Integrate subsidence risk into environmental, social and governance (ESG) due diligence and credit scoring. Transport Reroute new infrastructure away from highly compressible soils and use advanced technologies, data and modelling to inform decisions. Monitor structural integrity in differential-settling zones. Elevate rail beds, roads and bridges while accounting for load (dependent on soil type and conditions). Mining and gas Predict and map mining-induced subsidence; adopt mine-design (leave pillars, backfill) and surface- management buffers. Compensate and reinforce infrastructure and monitor post-mining settlement. Limit large-scale fluid removal without recharge plans; monitor reservoir compaction and surface movement. If extraction causes subsidence, require operator mitigation plans and remediation funds. Manufacturing Adopt industrial water-reuse and closed-loop cooling systems; reduce groundwater sourcing. Participate in water-stewardship and community recharge projects. Academia and researchOffer data, policy and innovation inputs on subsidence through research and modelling. Produce localized risk maps and tools to support policy and innovation. Civil society Promote public awareness and behavioural change. Monitor policy enforcement and empower local action. Develop training modules for capacity building and knowledge sharing for governments and citizens. Participate in dialogues and multistakeholder partnerships on water management and land subsidence to strengthen accountability and trust. Communities and individualsShift from groundwater to surface water use, including learning about water conversation best practices. Participate in building public awareness of land subsidence and associated risks including its interplay with climate change. Understand land subsidence and associated risks when building and buying houses. Hold relevant stakeholders accountable for land subsidence and climate risks initiatives. Note: Given that subsidence levels vary from place to place, these recommendations are more relevant for some cities, sectors and stakeholders compared to others. Resilient Economies: Strategies for Sinking Cities and Flood Risks 39