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Future proofing cities in China
Posted on: 21 November 2014
By: mackene
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Filed under: News
Atkins was commissioned by the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Prosperity Fund to prepare eco-low carbon (ELC) urban planning guidance in close collaboration with China’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Rural Development and the FCO, and supported by the China Society for Urban Studies. China’s 12th Five Year Plan, which places strong emphasis on energy and resource efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and environmental protection, calls specifically for an “optimized pattern of green development”. The National New Urbanisation Plan (2014-2020) issued in March 2014 further emphasises the importance of sustainable development and sets out a clear vision of green eco-low carbon smart development. The methodology is aimed at providing a blueprint for ELC urban planning in China. In promoting a new type of urban planning to meet the challenges of the new type of urbanization in China, the guidance places strong emphasis on integration (technical, process and conceptual), understanding local context, and human scale development in harmony with nature, as well as the importance of place making in urban form, and partnering to finance ELC development through green credit initiatives. The methodology was officially launched in Beijing in May 2014.
China rethinks urbanization
Posted on: 20 November 2014
By: mackene
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The November 2014 issue of Planning, the magazine of the American Planning Association, includes this article which considers the importance of China’s first national urbanization plan.
Measuring the prosperity of cities
Posted on: 20 November 2014
By: mackene
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The objective of this Special Edition of Habitat International (Vol.45 Part 1, January 2015) is to advance a dialogue that will promote the development of a more robust and useful measure of the prosperity of cities.
Zira Island: Central Asia’s first carbon neutral master plan in Baku, Azerbaijan
Posted on: 20 November 2014
By: mackene
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Zira, off the coast of Azerbaijan is considered to be one of the few ‘eco-island’ initiatives around. The plan to develop, as an island ‘entirely independent of external resources, and ‘a model of future development in the Caucasus region’.
Institute for Transportation and Development Policy
Posted on: 19 November 2014
By: mackene
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The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy works with cities worldwide to bring about sustainable transport solutions that cut greenhouse gas emissions, reduce poverty, and improve the quality of urban life. A regular blog is also available.
A roadmap for sustainable cities in the MENA region
Posted on: 19 November 2014
By: mackene
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Filed under: Events presentations, News
The challenges of traffic congestion, civic engagement and shrinking public spaces are key themes for cities in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region; these same challenges cut across West Africa’s cities, too. A conference, “Towards a Roadmap for Sustainable Cities in the MENA Region”, was held in Beirut, Lebanon on 4-5 November 2014, to debate these issues and share experiences. This blog contains videos from this event.
Favelas can teach us about future cities
Posted on: 18 November 2014
By: mackene
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This blog considers the value of informal solutions, involving local residents in transforming their own neighbourhoods.
Pasqual Maragall uses the Olympics to transform Barcelona into a global city
Posted on: 18 November 2014
By: mackene
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Barcelona’s transformation under Pasqual Maragall provides one of the best examples of using major events as a catalyst for long term urban improvement. This is the sixth entry in the Urbanism Hall of Fame series, exclusive to TheCityFix. This series is intended to inform people about the leading paradigms surrounding sustainable transport and urban planning and the thinkers behind them. By presenting their many stories, TheCityFix seeks to challenge our readers to think carefully about what defines leadership and innovation in sustainable transport and urban development.
The role of the construction industry in China’s sustainable urban development
Posted on: 17 November 2014
By: mackene
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This research reviewed the role of the construction industry in China’s sustainable urban development. The social, economic and environmental impacts of the construction industry on China’s sustainable urban development are also analysed. This article appears in the latest issue of Habitat International (Vol.44, October 2014) which also includes articles covering sustainable development issues and urbanization in China.
Constructing ordinary places: Place-making in urban informal settlements in Mexico
Posted on: 17 November 2014
By: mackene
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The aim of the article, published in the journal Progress in Planning (Vol.94, November 2014), is to critically examine understandings of informal settlements and to examine how these relate to spatial and social marginalisation at city level. This is undertaken through an exploration of the spatial, social and cultural construction of two colonias populares, low-income, self-built neighbourhoods with informal origins, in a medium-sized city in Mexico, based on the lived experiences of their residents, and other sources such as policy documents, public opinion and media reports, gathered using qualitative methods.
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