The overall objective of the project is to enhance EU-China (EU-CN) Water Cooperation on water management in urban (delta) areas with activities leading to policy, regulation and management recommendations. 

The focus is on the Chinese Sponge City Concept (SCC) aiming to “restore the city’s capacity to absorb, infiltrate, store, purify, drain and manage rain water and regulate the water cycle as much as possible to mimic the natural hydrological cycle”. 

The project will contribute to the establishment of an EU-CN High Level policy on water issues and through its support to the China-Europe Water Platform (CEWP) under the DG Environment promote: 1) business and technology exchange, 2) policy dialogue and 3) joint research and innovation.

The expected project results are:

• EU-CN policy recommendation on urban water
• Improved efficiency of sustainable stormwater management solutions in Beijing and Changde, China, achieved through peer-review of technologies and methods
• Improved stormwater management in the European partner cities Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Gothenburg and Turku through EU-CN city-to-city learning
• Improved cooperation between the EU and China on urban water management and protection.