Java Island Can No Longer Sustain Its Human Population

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - A study has revealed that Java’s land is increasingly subsiding. There is even a threat of coastal flooding by 2050.

A team of researchers conducted a mapping of land subsidence across the entire island of Java. The results found subsidence rates of 1-15 cm per year in all cities and villages, exceeding the global sea-level rise.

They also carried out satellite observations and sea-level projections. One conclusion is that land subsidence will contribute up to 85% to sea-level rise along most coastlines by 2050.

At around the same time, more than 75% of the coastline is at risk of flooding due to land subsidence.

The study, published in Science Advances, found that this land subsidence is not driven by climate but by human activities.

“If we ignore it, we are essentially underestimating that risk,” said one of the study’s authors from Virginia Tech, Manoochehr Shirzaei, quoted from Eureka Alert on Tuesday (14/4/2026).

Some of the main causes of this phenomenon include groundwater extraction in urban areas, water use for agriculture, industrial extraction, and natural compaction in delta regions.

He also added that land subsidence can be addressed more effectively than global sea-level rise. Namely, through local management via policies, infrastructure, and sustainable resource use.

Although the research was conducted on Java Island, these findings can also be applied globally. The lead author of the study, Leonard Ohenhen, said that several coastal areas around the world are experiencing similar events, but they are often overlooked.

“What is seen in Java is likely a picture of what is happening elsewhere when land subsidence is not monitored and managed properly,” he explained.