The University of Twente offers a PhD position on Global projections of land motions and associated flooding.
The coastal zone is one of the highest density population areas in the world, with about 40% of the global population living within 100 km of the coast in the present, which is expected to grow further over the 21st century. The low elevation coastal zone is very vulnerable to sea level rise (SLR) and is especially under great threat of coastal flooding. Several recent studies have shown that climate change will result in an increase in the frequency of episodic flooding. The asset value at risk from coastal flooding globally is estimated to be up to $14.2 trillion by the end of the century under RCP 8.5. Therefore, robust projections of future coastal flooding are essential for risk reduction and effective adaptation. However, up to date, future coastal flooding, especially at regional and global scales, has been estimated based on projections of extreme water levels. The potentially very important component of vertical land motion (VLM) is often neglected in estimating coastal flooding. It has been shown that the land subsidence rates at some locations are much larger compared to the sea level rise itself. Thus, incorporating the land motion component in coastal flooding assessments is very important. This PhD project aims to produce the global data base of vertical land motion and the associated projections of coastal flooding.
For more information, please visit the website of the University of Twente.
