Cities from Copenhagen to Los Angeles are rebuilding themselves to drink the rain — but the climate making sponge cities necessary is also quietly breaking the soil they depend on

Cities around the world, from Copenhagen to Los Angeles, are implementing green infrastructure to absorb rainwater and prevent flooding. The sponge city movement, with its focus on green roofs, rain gardens, and permeable basins, is gaining traction as climate change produces more intense storms. However, challenges such as inadequate system sizing and degraded soil threaten the effectiveness of these projects.

While green infrastructure offers multiple benefits, including flood control and improved water quality, it requires a networked approach and early integration into urban planning to be most effective. The need for recalibration of expectations as some storms may exceed the capacity of these systems is crucial in achieving successful climate adaptation. Despite the challenges, cities investing in sponge cities are making progress towards building resilient systems for the future.