Many urban flooding issues can be traced back to an extractive approach to urban development, where the emphasis on rapid growth and maximization of land use for immediate economic return has often neglected the environmental and climate risks, such as the natural water absorption capacity of the land. This approach has exacerbated the vulnerability of urban areas to flooding, highlighting the consequences of prioritizing short-term gains over long-term sustainability and resilience.

Centralized planning and decision-making systems fail to adequately incorporate climate change projections and local ecological conditions into urban development plans. Centralized policies may overlook the specific needs and vulnerabilities of different urban areas, leading to inadequate infrastructure and urban planning that cannot cope with the increasing frequency and intensity of flooding events.

A static view of urban land use and property rights, where the built environment is designed and regulated based on outdated assumptions about climate and weather patterns, does not account for the dynamic and escalating nature of climate change, resulting in urban infrastructure that is ill-prepared for the realities of today's and tomorrow's flooding risks.

Urban flooding challenges are exacerbated by rigid conceptual and legal boundaries around property and land use, which often fail to consider the interconnectedness of urban ecosystems and water management systems. These rigid boundaries limit the ability to implement integrated, holistic solutions for water management and land use planning, such as green infrastructure, that could mitigate flooding risks.