Sponge cities: A perfect solution for China's urban flooding problem!

As a consequence of climate change, China's urban areas are increasingly at risk from sea level rise, storm intensity, and rapid urbanisation. More than 40,000 square kilometres were urbanised in the last three decades, and more than 400 new urban cities have emerged across China. Over a half billion people are living in urban areas, and this number will rise in the near future. Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen are at high risk of climate change, flooding, and other associated problems. Due to a lack of absorption facilities, even small amounts of precipitation create pulse and press disturbances that combine to increase the intensity of flooding in most Chinese urban areas. For the better management of flooding and rainwater storage, expert judgement is necessary. Accordingly, expert views (pilot study n=12) were obtained from flooding and disaster management specialists with knowledge of both flooding and the sponge cities concept. The majority stated that sponge cities were an excellent concept, but that capturing and storing rainwater is somewhat difficult. Very few experts opposed this concept. However, expert opinions should be used as tools for planners and policymakers for developing management strategies to improve urban resilience under the scenarios of climate change and anthropogenic pressures.