Eco-cities in China: Pearls in the Sea of Degrading Urban Environments?

摘要: Economic reforms in China from the 1980s have created substantial material wealth and raised consumption to an unprecedented level. With rising affluence demand for quality living, densely urbanized zones are increasingly being developed into eco-conscious townships or eco-cities. Whilst commercial entrepreneurship may adopted norms of eco-city construction selected sites including coastal areas, major cities their rapidly extended metropolitan encountered pollution problems, threatening health life ordinary residents. Will eco-cities serve as a normatic model other Chinese follow towards improved urban environment? Or they merely nodal points serving more interests catering need middle classes? This chapter investigates hindrance potential developing environmentally sustainable system country undergoing late but rapid urbanization backed up by huge surplus rural population eager settle down cities. is followed analysis public policy measures energy saving, promotion renewable energy, transport, reforestation, recycling water materials. Finally, role ecocities studied terms whether lead new development path future China.