Possible effect of climate changes on the coastal zone of the Yangtze River Delta

A coastal historical evolution of the Yangtze River Delta was discussed in this paper on the basis of the historical data of the coastal zone and an estimation was made for the future change of the coast The emphasis was put on the future climate change that will have influence on the sea wall, coastal navigation and freshwater resources in the Delta It was also pointed out that the global warming and precipitation increase in the Yangtze River Valley may exert more impact on the zone In addition, some measures describing how to adapt to the climate change and reduce its impact were put forward