Part 7/9:
Furthermore, creating an effective sponge city demands inter-agency coordination and long-term planning. China's ambitious approach, exemplified by Zhengzhou—a city that experienced devastating floods in 2021—illustrates the difficulty: despite hundreds of millions spent, the city still faces flooding challenges, highlighting the importance of early and comprehensive implementation.
The Economic Case
Flood damages are extremely costly; for instance, the damages caused by a major flood can rival the total investment needed to develop a sponge city. This suggests that prevention is more economical than disaster response, and that early, decisive action could save lives and money in the long run.