Can “Sponge Cities” Mitigate China’s Increased Occurrences of Urban Flooding?

Abstract

China is a country with severe water problems. In recent years, urban flooding has become even more frequent, pervasive and severe, threatening China's development. To tackle the issue, China launched a national initiative termed sponge cities with enormous investment commitment. Marking a fundamental shift in water management, this initiative can be an effective approach if China commits to appropriate technical, governance and financial measures to overcome implementation challenges.