Recent devastating floods in Beijing have put China\u2019s drive to create \u201csponge cities\u201d which can handle extreme rain to the test.<\/b><\/p>\n
Since 2013<\/span><\/a>, China has been trying to make cities like Beijing more flood-proof by replacing roads, pavements and rooftops with natural materials like soil that soak up water and by giving more space to water bodies like lakes to absorb stormwater.<\/span><\/p>\n But despite these measures, massive amounts of rainfall in recent weeks caused floods<\/span><\/a> which killed <\/span>at least<\/span><\/a> 33 people, destroyed tens of thousands of homes and shut down the Chinese capital\u2019s second busiest airport.<\/span><\/p>\n Experts told Climate Home the flooding shows the limited progress China has made on its plan to invest $1 trillion into sponge cities by 2030 – with the city still largely concrete.<\/p>\n Even new infrastructure, build with the sponge city concept in mind, could not cope with the rains.<\/p>\n Daxing airport opened a few months before the Covid-19 pandemic. Its builders described it<\/span><\/a> as a \u201csponge airport\u201d as it was <\/span>equipped with<\/span><\/a> plants on its roof, a huge wetland and an artificial lake the size of over 1,000 Olympic swimming pools.<\/span><\/p>\n Despite these measures, the runways flooded on July 30 and it had to cancel<\/span><\/a> over 50 flights.<\/span><\/p>\n Floods engulf Beijing Daxing Airport, halting flightshttps:\/\/www.yenisafak.com\/en\/video-gallery\/news\/floods-engulf-beijing-daxing-airport-halting-flights-3668129 pic.twitter.com\/YabfuQbC9Y<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Yeni \u015eafak English (@yenisafakEN) August 2, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\nSponge airport overwhelmed<\/h3>\n
\n