China's 2022 coastal sea levels highest since 1980: report

China's coastal sea levels last year reached their highest level since 1980, according to a report released on Wednesday by the Ministry of Natural Resources.

The coastal sea levels in 2022 were 94 mm higher than the average levels recorded between 1993 and 2011, said the annual report recording the sea-level changes in China.

China's coastal sea levels are rising more rapidly amid climate warming, it said. From 1980 to 2022, China's coastal sea levels rose at a pace of 3.5 mm per year, while between 1993 and 2022, the pace was 4 mm per year.

The increased rate of sea-level rising could have a lasting impact on the ecological environment and the sustainable social and economic development of coastal regions, the report warned.

In 2022, higher coastal sea levels have worsened the storm surges and contributed to flooding in coastal regions, according to the ministry.