As climate warms, a China planner advocates “sponge cities”

By EMILY WANG FUJIYAMA
Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) — China is affected by both extreme floods and water shortages, exacerbated by climate change. Landscape architect Yu Kongjian works to counter a concrete-based infrastructure that he says works against nature – trapping water within the city during floods, siphoning it away during droughts. He is advocating for the construction of “sponge cities” in China. The concept involves creating and expanding parks and ponds within urban areas to prevent flooding and absorb water for times of drought. Sponge city projects face several challenges in implementation, including lack of expertise, insufficient or inadequate planning and misspent funds, but the basic idea is a part of a worldwide trend.