Table 1.

Sponge city strategic plans in China from 2013 to 2022

TimePlan and strategy
12 July 2013Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of the PRC (MOHURD) issued the Outline of Comprehensive Planning for Urban Drainage (Rainwater) and Waterlogging. All cities must formulate comprehensive urban drainage (rainwater) and waterlogging prevention plans per local conditions
12 December 2013In the Central Work Conference on Urbanization, Xi Jinping suggested prioritising the use of natural water drainage methods and building a “sponge city” with natural accumulation, infiltration and natural purification
14 February 2014MOHURD Urban Construction Department developed a new concept of building a sponge city and compiled the “National Urban Drainage and Waterlogging Prevention Facilities Construction Plan”
14 June 2014The General Office of the State Council of the PRC issued guiding opinions on strengthening the construction and management of urban underground pipelines. It aimed to promote the renovation and construction of rainwater and sewage diversion pipe networks
21 August 2014MOHURD and National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) issued a notice to strengthen urban water conservation further and control the use of water for ecological landscapes
17 September 2014State Council of the PRC replied the National Plan for Addressing Climate Change (2014–2020)
22 October 2014MOHURD issued the notice on Printing and Distributing Technical Guidelines for sponge city Construction – Construction of Rainwater System for Low-impact Development (Trial)
31 December 2014Ministry of Finance of the PRC (MOF), MOHURD and Ministry of Water Resource of the PRC(MWR) issued the Notice on Carrying out Central Financial Support for sponge city Construction Pilot Work
2 April 2015The 2015 List of sponge city Construction Pilot Cities were announced
10 July 2015MOHURD issued the “Notice on Printing and Distributing sponge city Construction Performance Evaluation and Assessment Methods (Trial)”
20 October 2015The General Office of the State Council of the PRC issued the Guidance on Promoting sponge city Construction
10 December 2015MOHURD China Development Bank (CDB) issued the Notice on Promoting Development Finance Supporting sponge city Construction
30 December 2015MOHURD Agricultural Development Bank of China (ADBC) issued a Notice on Promoting Policy-Based Financial Support for sponge city Construction
5 February 2016MOHURD Notice on Printing and Distributing the National Building Standard Design System for Urban Comprehensive Pipe Gallery, and sponge city Construction was issued
2 May 2016Notice on carrying out the Central Financial Support Sponge City Construction Pilot Work in 2016
Application Guidelines for sponge city Construction Pilot Cities was announced in 2016
25 May 2017The 13th Five-Year Plan for National Urban Municipal Infrastructure Construction proposed accelerating the construction of sponge cities
30 November 2018MOHURD Notice on Printing and Distributing Investment Estimation Indicators for sponge city Construction Projects
13 February 2019MOHURD Announcement on Publishing the National Standard “Technical Standards for Operation, Maintenance and Safety of Urban Underground Pipe Gallery”
10 April 2019MOHURD Announcement on Issuing the National Standard “Evaluation Standards for sponge city Construction”
1 December 2020General Office of MOHURD Notice on the Public Solicitation of National Standards “Construction Acceptance and Operation and Maintenance Standards for Sponge City Construction Projects (Draft for Comments)” and “Special Planning and Design Standards for sponge city Construction (Draft for Comments)”
29 December 2021General Office of MOHURD, General Office of NDRC, General Office of MWR, General Office of Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the PRC (MIIT) Guiding Opinions on Strengthening Urban Water Conservation Work
15 April 2022MOF, MOHURD, MWR Published the “Notice on Carrying out the Second Batch of ‘14th Five-Year Plan’ Systematic and Global Promotion of sponge city Construction Demonstration Work”
18 April 2022General Office of MOHURD Notice on Further Clarifying Relevant Requirements for sponge city Construction Work
Source: www.gov.cn; www.mohurd.gov.cn; www.mof.gov.cn/index.htm; www.mwr.gov.cn
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