| ID | 162091 |
| Title Proper | Can a Sustainable Urban Development Model be Exported? Construction of the “Exemplary” Tianjin Eco-city |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Li, Yinghao |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | In the search for more sustainable models for Chinese cities, the concept of “eco-city” has been advanced and widely discussed as capable of providing solutions for environmental, ecological, and socio-economic problems. This article questions the specificities of the concept against lessons drawn from the experiences of eco- and sustainable quarters being implemented in France and other places in Europe. The model for a Chinese eco-city is considered in the light of our study of the Tianjin eco-city, which is a Sino-Singaporean project half-way towards its intended completion in 2020. Our study was conducted on the spot within this eco-city, and it enables us to make a close examination of a number of its specific aspects and to raise questions, in a manner not yet fully researched in this area, as to how widely such an urban model might be diffused. Its implementation of a system of performance indicators, and its introduction of a structure of governance to support environmental protection, represent promising avenues for a paradigm change in Chinese urban planning. On the other hand, the bias in favour of technological solutions and the lack of concern with the residents’ life styles are a matter for debate over the pertinence and sustainability of such a model for urban development. |
| `In' analytical Note | China Perspectives , No.1-2; 2018: p.87-97 |
| Journal Source | China Perspectives 2018-03 |
| Key Words | Sustainable Development ; Governance ; Indicator ; Chinese Urban Planning ; Tianjin Eco-city |