Examining Sponge City coverage and perceptions in global news media

Many countries are developing sustainable urban water management approaches to tackle the increasing risks of rainstorms due to climate change. As such, in China the Sponge City Program (SCP) was adopted in 2013. To ensure successful adoption, the SCP should incorporate social indicators, such as public perception and uptake. News media is a key channel to relay information to the public, yet the role and influence of media outlets in portraying the SCP have not been investigated. We reviewed 786 online news articles published from 2014 to 2022. Our analysis found alignment between media reports and academic research on high-level SCP functions (mainly urban water management, and its ecological, socio-cultural, and economic co-function) and its challenges (financial constraints, technical difficulties, and governance issues). However, the media often lacked nuance, such as the detailed extent to which SCP can mitigate flooding, which could pose risks for future practices. This study highlights the critical role of online media in shaping public perceptions and influencing decision-making within SCP similar approaches, and the need to understand the complexities of flood processes and SCP to drive policy changes. As the narrative and coverage of such approaches evolve and mature, we recommend greater engagement between academics and the media. • Analyzed 786 global news sources (2024-2022) on Sponge City Program (SCP) to explore public pereptions and policy impacts. • Exposed how media and research align on SCP functions and challenges while revealing media's politicization. • Highlighted the role of news media in shaping public perceptions and influencing urban water management policy. • Identified gaps where media narratives lack nuance on SCP's flood mitigation capacity and complex storytelling. • Recommended stronger collaboration between academics and media to enhance the public understanding and policy uptake.