The Socio-Economic Impacts of Land Subsidence in Coastal Semarang

¹ Master of Environmental Sciences, Universitas Diponegoro, Semarang 50275, Indonesia
² Department of Environmental Science, Universitas Diponegoro, Semarang 50275, Indonesia
³ Environmental Sustainability Research Group, Departement of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Diponegoro, Semarang 50275, Indonesia
⁴ Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Diponegoro, Semarang 50275, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: rezayd.227@gmail.com

Abstract

Land subsidence due primarily to the over-drawal of groundwater and soil compaction has been an ever-present problem in most coastal cities all over the world, including Semarang, Indonesia. While expanding application of geospatial monitoring methods such as InSAR and GPS, recent studies have been focused primarily on the technical and geological sources of subsidence rather than its socio-economic aspects. This article conducts a systematic review of 33 studies from 2015 to 2025 to assess the socio-economic impacts of coastal Semarang land subsidence. International comparisons with Las Vegas, Shanghai, and Mexico City are utilized to explore primary categories of impact, including damage to infrastructure, disruption to public facilities, displacement of occupants, and socio-economic inequalities. In addition, we analyze spatial and temporal deformation patterns in Semarang's urban, industrial, and coastal zones. This article demonstrate that the most vulnerable populations are disproportionately affected by subsidence losses and that more equitable urban adaptation responses are needed. Technical fixes such as Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) are promising but only with aligned governance and social inclusion. This review is wrapped up by offering policy-relevant outcomes to guide more equitable and sustainable land subsidence measures.