REGIONAL MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING: FROM THE GRAY CITY TO THE SPONGE CITY AIMING FOR POSITIVE IMPACTS ON URBAN RESILIENCE

Abstract

The intensification of extreme hydrometeorological events exposes the structural vulnerability of large urban centers, marked by accelerated waterproofing and fragmented urban drainage management. This article discusses the necessary transition from the traditional gray infrastructure model to the sponge city paradigm, linking it to the regulatory context recently established by Reference Standard No. 12/2025 of the National Water and Basic Sanitation Agency (ANA). The methodology included a literature review, document analysis, and international comparison of the conceptual foundations of the transition from gray cities to sponge cities, their ecological effectiveness, and their economic impacts. Studies were researched to assess how nature-based solutions (NbS) can mitigate risks, reduce disaster costs, expand urban ecosystem services, and reposition Brazilian cities in the face of the climate crisis. This research concluded, after a PESTEL analysis, that the new regulation, by establishing technical guidelines and expanding multi-scalar governance, creates unprecedented conditions for urban reconfiguration based on adaptation, integrated regional planning, and socio-environmental justice.