Why Sponge Planet? Discussions on Land-Based, Water-Driven Solutions

Spirn, A.W., Schellnhuber, H.J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7453-4935, Daigger, C.T, Fu, J., Childs, P., Sedlak, D., Head, P., Ravasi, T., de Meulder, B., Shannon, K., Dultzin, D., Sosa, F., Kay, A., da Rocha, H.R., Chou, S.C., Buckeridge, M., Nobre, C.A., Yokohari, M., Xie, S.-P., Ashraf, K.K., et al. (2025). Why Sponge Planet? Discussions on Land-Based, Water-Driven Solutions. Landscape Architecture Frontiers 13 (1) 2-12. 10.15302/J-LAF-1-010042.

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Abstract

The recent Nature Water article, “To Solve Climate Change, We Need to Restore Our Sponge Planet,” by Kongjian Yu, Erica Gies, and Warren W. Wood[1], makes a compelling case for recalibrating climate strategies to prioritize the water cycle alongside reducing carbon emissions. The authors highlight how human activities—agriculture, urbanization, and industrialization—have degraded 75% of the earth’s land, severely disrupting natural water systems. This degradation diminishes the planet’s capacity to regulate temperature through water vapor, cloud formation, and the hydrological cycle, further accelerating climate instability. The Sponge Planet concept advocates for restoring and replicating natural systems—wetlands, floodplains, and forests— that slow water down, recharge aquifers, and mitigate flooding and drought. In contrast to traditional grey infrastructure, which often worsens water scarcity and contributes to sea-level rise, “Slow Water” solutions offer holistic and decentralized alternatives. This model is built on three principles: 1) retain water at its source; 2) slow its flow; and 3) embrace water at its natural sink.

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