Evaluating Public Satisfaction and Its Determinants in Chinese Sponge Cities Using Structural Equation Modeling

Rui Wang, Youyou Wu, Jiaqi Niu, Na Wang and Hong Wu ()
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Rui Wang: School of Art and Design, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
Youyou Wu: School of Art and Design, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
Jiaqi Niu: The Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London, UCL, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
Na Wang: SWA Group, 712 Main St., Floor 6, Houston, TX 77002, USA
Hong Wu: Department of Landscape Architecture, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, State College, PA 16802, USA

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 8, 1-16

Abstract: Public satisfaction is an important indicator of the success of environmental policies and management practices. China’s sponge city development (SCD) initiative was launched in 2014 and has received international attention for its technical advancements and environmental achievements. Public satisfaction, however, has not been fully investigated in cities transformed by SCD. This study uses public surveys and structural equation modeling to evaluate people’s satisfaction with SCD in four pilot sponge cities, and how familiarity with SCD, perceived benefits, concerns about adverse effects, and trust in government influence satisfaction levels. The results show that people in the four cities were, on average, slightly satisfied with SCD. Familiarity, perceived benefits, and trust in government were significant determinants of public satisfaction. On the contrary, concerns about the adverse effects of SCD did not significantly influence people’s satisfaction. Moreover, a mismatch was found between government-led evaluation outcomes and satisfaction measured here. This study highlights the importance of social and perceived values in shaping people’s satisfaction with SCD and provides suggestions for management strategies for enhancing public satisfaction, ultimately supporting the long-term effectiveness of urban stormwater management programs.

Keywords: public satisfaction; perceptions; concern; trust; sponge city development; green stormwater infrastructure; structural equation modeling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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