The tragedy in Rio Grande do Sul has, as usual, brought forth many opinions and speculations. Opinions from those closely involved and speculations from occasional experts. It's all part of the game.
However, an interesting discussion arose regarding sponge cities, a technology created and developed by the Chinese landscape architect Kongjian Yu.
The basic philosophy of the solution proposed by the Chinese landscape architect is that we should stop fighting against water and instead invest in alternatives that mimic the actions of balanced nature. He is absolutely right, as the solutions traditionally used by engineering, such as building dams and reservoirs and installing drainage pipes aimed at quickly removing large volumes of rainwater, have not proven effective in dealing with new climate behaviors.
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Source: https://www.ecodebate.com.br/2024/05/29/por-que-nao-bacias-hidrograficas-esponja/