The sea level along China's coastal areas will rise 0.13 meter in the next three decades, according to a report by the State Oceanic Administration (SOA).

The average increase in sea level has been about 2.6 millimeter per year in the past 30 years, 0.8 millimeter higher than the world's average, according to the administration's report of China's sea level changes.

The report said among all the coastal seas, the East China Sea saw the fastest rise in sea level, with an annual increase of 2.9 millimeter over the past three decades.

Li Xiaoming, director of the department of oceanic protection of the SOA, said global warming, earth subsidence and unusual climate phenomena all attributed to the rise of sea level.

SOA statistics show that over the past 30 years, air and sea temperatures along China's coastal areas rose 1.1 Celsius and 0.9 Celsius respectively.

Li said the rise of sea level could add to damage caused by marine disasters such as storm tides, coast erosion, sea water encroachment and soil salinization.

The Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta, the Yellow River Delta and coastal areas of Tianjin -- regions located along the coast with the country's most developed economy -- are the key areas that will suffer the impacts of a rise in sea level, Li said.

The SOA has suggested governments of coastal cities improve sea level monitoring and take the impact of sea level rise into consideration when making economic development plans, according to the report.

The SOA has also asked the governments to control groundwater exploitation, reinforce dikes and improve protection of coastal wetlands.

(Xinhua News Agency January 28, 2009)