Urban flood risks and emerging challenges in a Chinese delta: The case of the Pearl River Delta

By the 2050s, more than 120 million people are predicted to settle in Pearl River Delta (PRD), which covers large coastal cities such as Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Cities PRD vitally important China relation their socio-economic contributions. From recent evidence, this strongly urbanized area is vulnerable to, currently facing bigger incidences of, urban flooding. Flood risk growing low-lying areas due rapid urbanization increasing flood hazards exacerbated by climate change. Frequent intensive rainstorms, sea-level rise, typhoons surges threaten populations economic assets, causing severe ecological impacts cities. Current management (FRM) delta still predominately focused on using traditional techno-fixes infrastructure paradigms, lacking sufficient strategic planning protection develop adequate resilience. Recent floods, enhanced storm have affected multiple drawn attention a major challenge PRD’s This review encourages development of long-term FRM practices with provincial municipal authorities working together closely better-integrated regional strategies for PRD.