CPN-NRDC Urban Energy, Climate Change and Transportation Roundtable 2009
June 18, Beijing
Tsinghua University

As part of CPN China Week June 15-20, 2009 

Chair (Overseas): Karen R. Polenske, Professor of Regional Political Economy and Planning, MIT

Chair (Chinese): Jingjing Qian , Deputy Director of China Program, Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) 

Session Lead: Werner Rothengatter, Head of the Institute of Economic Policy Research, University of Karlsruhe, Former President of the World Conference on Transport Research

Session Lead: Joseph Ferreira Jr, Professor of Urban Planning and Operations Research, Head, Urban Information System, MIT

Themes: Energy Security, Environmental Challenges and Urban Mobility

Energy is a major concern in each facet of the world economy, with strong pressures to find new sources of energy, to conserve the energy reserves that exist, and to reduce the pollution that using energy creates. China is now the largest world producer of coal, and 70% of the energy use in China is coal and 50% of the energy use in the United States is coal. Petroleum takes center stage when transportation issues are discussed, and renewable energy options, such as wind, solar, and other are becoming viable. Countries are considering more and more how their energy supplies can be made secure.

To use energy efficiently and effectively, policy makers need to consider technologies that will not only reduce the amount of energy used, but also the pollution generated. Even the United States now is recognizing the effect that climate change is having on the global economy. Many analysts and policymakers are searching for ways to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs). A number of countries have designed stimulus packages, some of which try to affect energy consumption and pollution, Thus, the terms “green buildings,” “green transportation,” “green renewable energy,” “green jobs,” etc. are dominating many news stories and policy debates.

This roundtable will discuss the specific challenges that rapid urbanization in China imposes on its energy consumption and urban environment. The rapid urbanization in China stress-tests the ecological and environmental boundary of its cities.

The world economy is experiencing the biggest crisis since 1929. The economic downturn also challenges our commitment to the urban environment. On one hand, investments of green technology, green development and environment improvement are important parts of the national stimulus package. On the other hand, will the recently improved environmental commitment be compromised for the sake of more economic development? Also discussed is how this economic crisis will affect urban transportation and urban mobility. What are the policy directions, strategies and recommendations for the continued development of urban transportation in China?

Topics and Questions :

• During the current deep recession, can jobs be created that stimulate the economy, yet reduce energy use? What is the interaction between the macro-economy, urban environment improvement and urban mobility? How will environment sector and transportation sector contribute to economic recovery?
• How do the various stimulus packages affect the urban built environment, urban transportation, the use of energy, and the need to reduce pollution? What’s the opportunity and challenges to the development and maintenance of mega transportation projects?
• To what extent, can our transportation policies further the goals of energy efficiency and sustainability? What’s the interaction between urban environment, mobility, quality of urban life and urban sustainability? What role is there for local and municipal actors to participate in energy efficiency programs? To what extent, can regional and local policies affect the goals of energy efficiency and sustainability in urban areas?
• What’s the response from the national environmental and transportation policies? What is the vision of environmental and transportation development in China going forward? What’s an agenda for policy and regulatory reform?
• What are some of the most effective “green” programs in China, the United States, Europe, and other countries? How is the Urban Information System developed in China? How is it connected to the application in the urban transportation field?

Speakers:

• Harry Dimitriou, Prof. of Planning Studies, Director of the OMEGA Centre at UCL and Member of TRB Committees for Social and Economic Factors of Transportation, and for Transportation in Developing Countries of the National Academies, USA
• Joseph Ferreira, Head and Professor of Urban Planning and Operations Research, UIS, MIT, Former President of the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA)
• HE Kebin, Professor, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University
• LU Huapu, Head, Transportation Research Institute, Tsinghua University
• Mao Qizhi, Professor, Vice Dean, School of Architecture, Tsinghua University
• NIU Wenyuan, Counselor, State Council, Chief Scientist, Sustainable Development Group, Chinese Academy of Science
• Karen R. Polenske, Professor of Regional Political Economy and Planning, MIT
• Hugo Priemus, Professor and Former Dean Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, Delft University of Technology , Netherlands
• Qian Jingjing, Director for China Sustainable Cities Project, China Program, US Natural Resources Defense Council
• Werner Rothengatter, Ex-President of the World Conference on Transport Research, Head of the Institute of Economic Policy Research, University of Karlsruhe, Former Head of the Transport Division, German Institute for Economic Research
• Shi Dinghuan, Counsellor, State Council; President, China Renewable Energy Association; former Secretary-General, Ministry of Science and Technology: “Renewable Energy Development and Urbanization in China”
• SONG Yonghua, Assistant President, Tsinghua University and Deputy Director, Tsinghua Laboratory of Low-Carbon Energy
• Victor Vergara, Lead Urban Specialist - Program Leader, Urban and Local Government, World Bank Institute
• Michael Woo, Los Angeles Planning Commissioner, adjunct professor, School of Policy, Planning, and Development, University of South California
• Mr. XIE Ji, Deputy Director-General, Department of Environment and Resources, National Development and Reform Commission
• Yang Xinmiao, Assistant Professor, School of Civil Engineering, Tsinghua University
• Vice-President and Provost YUAN Si from Tsinghua University, Congressman and Vice Chair of the Congress Environmental Resource Committee
• YU Shiyang, Assistant-Director of Informatization Department of State Information Center (SIC)
• Yan Zong, Transport Specialist, Asian Development Bank
• Zhenshan Zhang, UN Habitat, China Program

Discussants:

• Eugenie L. Birch, Professor of Urban Research and Education, Department of City and Regional Planning, Co-Director, Penn Institute for Urban Research, University of Pennsylvania
• Randall Crane, Vice Chair and Professor of Urban Planning, Associate Director, Institute of Transportation Studies, UCLA
• John De Monchaux, Prof. of Architecture and Urban Planning, former Dean of the school of Architecture and Urban Planning, MIT
• Larry Hannah, Lead Economist, Poverty Reduction and Economic Management (ECSPE), World Bank
• Michael Hibbard, President of the (U.S.) Association of Collegiate Schools of PlanningRobert B. Olshansky, Professor, Dept of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• John R. Logan, Professor of Sociology, Director, Spatial Structures in the Social Sciences, Department of Sociology, Brown University
• Robert B. Olshansky, Professor, Dept of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• John M. Courtney, Urban Planning Advisor China, Former Senior Urban Planner, the World Bank

Program: CPN Urban Energy and Environment Roundtable 2009, June 18, Beijing,
Venue: Tsinghua University

Congress Logistics:
The CPN Urban Energy, Climate Change and Transportation will be held as part of the CPN China Week 2009: Urbanization Summit,, the 6th year continuation of CPN’s effort to fuse western knowledge on urban development with China’s unprecedented experience. CPN China Week 2009 will be held in Beijing/Chongqing on June 15-20, including six conferences:

• CPN Urban Housing Conference (Renmin University, June 16-17, program)
• CPN Urban Regeneration Roundtable (Renmin University, June 17, program)
• CPN Urban Planning and Public Policy Roundtable (Renmin University, June 16, program)
• CPN Urban Economy and Job Creation Roundtable (Renmin University, June 17, program)
• CPN-ACSP Urban Planning Education Roundtable (Renmin University, June 17, program)
• CPN-NRDC Urban Energy, Climate Change and Transportation Roundtable (Tsinghua University, June 18, program)

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About CPN
China Planning Network (CPN) was established in 2004 and has since advanced from simply an academic interest group to become an independent voice that affects the education, research, practice and policies in China’s urban development. CPN has moved forward on its mission to systematically introduce western knowledge and experiences to China and more importantly CPN has started pursuing its vision of cultivating China's own discourse on urban development. As MIT President Susan Hockfield wrote in 2006: "Through the efforts of the China Planning Network, MIT and the Department of Urban Studies and Planning, continue to lead the world to bring the advanced knowledge on urban planning and development to bear on China's urbanization challenges."  

Please contact Jinhua Zhao at jinhua@mit.edu Tel: +1-857-350-0079 or Ming Guo at guoming@mit.edu Tel: +86-(0)10-84418776 for more information.