The ministry repeated the significance of creating "Sponge Cities" and emphasized the program's long-term results. Nearly half of China's 657 cities fail to meet national standards for flood prevention. And in another assessment, about half of the cities are considered water scarce by UN standards.

Chinese and international experts have recommended 6 areas to work on. They are an integrated, whole-system thinking approach; locally based laws and regulations; coordinated cooperation between city departments; innovative ways to raise financial resources at the city level; designs tailored to local conditions and regional potential; and international dialogue and exchange of best practices.

The overall target for sponge cities is that 70 percent of the rainwater will be absorbed and reused. The timeline is 20 percent of urban areas by 2020, and by 80 percent by 2030. There are 14 years and a long way to go.

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