Development Report 2013 China NationalHuman China National UNDP fosters human development to empower women and men to build better lives in Human Development China. As the UN’s development network, UNDP draws on a world of experiences to assist China in developing its own solutions to the country’s development challenges. Report 2013 Through partnerships and innovation, UNDP works to achieve the rule of law, promoting environmental sustainability, and fighting HIV/AIDS. Sustainable and Liveable Cities: Toward Ecological Civilization Toward Cities: and Liveable Sustainable Toward Ecological Civilization This report is a collaboration between UNDP China and the Institute of Urban and Environmental Studies of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Special thanks go to the Royal Norwegian Embassy, the Peace and Development Foundation, Leighton Asia, Tianyan Green Energy Corporation, Stora Enso and Veolia Group for their kind sponsorships. For copies or information related to this publication, please contact us: UNDP China 2 Liangmahe Nanlu, 100600 Beijing Telephone +86-10-8532-0800 Fax +86-10-8532-0900 中国对外翻译出版有限公司中 国 出 版 集 团 公 司 ISBN 978-7-5001-3754-2 9 787500 137542 定价：69.00 元 CHINA NATIONAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2013 Sustainable and Liveable Cities: Toward Ecological Civilization The preparation of this report was a collaboration between UNDP China and Institute for Urban and Environmental Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences China Publishing Group Corporation China Translation & Publishing Corporation CIP Data China Human Development Report. 2013: Sustainable and Liveable Cities: Toward Ecological Urbanisation: English Compiled by United Nations Development Program. –Beijing: China Translation and Publishing Corporation, June 2013 ISBN 978-7-5001-3754-2 I. China… II. United… III. 1, Urbanisation –Research report –China—2013—English IV. D668 Archival Library of Chinese Publications CIP Data H.Z. (2013) No.122691 All rights reserved. Any part of this publication may be quoted, copied, or translated by indicating the source. No part of this publication may be stored for commercial purposes without prior written permission. The analysis and policy recommendations of the Report do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations Development Programme, its Executive Board or its Member States.The designations employed and the presentation of material on the maps of the report do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations or UNDP concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Published by :China Translation and Publishing Corporation Address: Floor 6, Wuhua Building, 4(A) Chegongzhuang Street, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100044, China Tel.: (010)68359376 68359303 68359101 68357937 Email: [email protected] Website:http://www.ctpc.com.cn Copy editor: Gretchen Luchsinger Distributor: Xinhua Bookstore Format: 880×1230 mm 1/16 Edition: August 2013, first edition Printing: August 2013, first printing ISBN 978-7-5001-3754-2 Price: RMB 69.00 All right reserved China Translation and Publishing Corporation FOREWORD In 2011 the Chinese National Bureau of Statistics announced that China’s urbanisation rate had surpassed 50 percent. For the first time in China’s long history, there were more citizens living in cities than in rural areas. Asia as a whole has not yet reached the 50 percent mark but is expected to do so by 2020, and Africa by 2035. According to UN estimates, the total number of urban dwellers worldwide is due to increase by 75 percent be- tween now and 2050, when 68 percent of the world population will be city dwellers. Most of this urban growth will occur in Asia and Africa. China’s urbanisation process is of particular importance for two main reasons: speed and scale. It took 6 decades for China’s urbanisation to expand from 10 to 50 percent. This same transition took 150 years to occur in Europe and 210 years in Latin America and Caribbean. China’s rapid urbanisation is characterized by massive internal migration. In 2011, the migrating population reached 260 million. During the next two decades, nearly 310 million more people are expected to migrate from rural to urban areas. Such speed and scale in migration is unprecedented in human history. The majority of China’s major objectives and endeavours will thus be won or lost in its cities. The battle against climate change, the fight against inequalities, and the response to a rapidly ageing population – to mention a few - will depend on measures taken within the context of China’s burgeoning cities. As China urbanises, both challenges and opportunities will arise. Pressures on multiple fronts will increase; the use of natural and energy resources, employment competition, transportation, housing, access to basic social and other public services will all expand. The way China addresses these challenges will shape not only the coun- try’s urban landscape, but also that of the entire nation. Because big parts of China’s future cities have yet to be built, huge urban and national challenges, along with huge costs, can be avoided if the right care and the right decisions are taken now. With the urban population growing at such rapid pace, China needs to develop smart city planning and a strong network of clean energy, public mass transportation, implement strict standards of energy efficiency for build- ings, and promote voluntary green actions by citizens and businesses. Given the long life span of city infrastruc- tures and buildings, impacts of China’s decisions now will be felt for next several decades. Urbanisation also pro- vides an opening to increase equal access by all to opportunities and social services and to address some of the current inequalities that are emerging as the country transitions to an economy where market mechanisms play a greater role. Cities are centres of economic and cultural development, and increasingly, culture and creativity are being recognized as essential for vibrant, liveable cities. The urgency and significance of the urbanisation process in China prompted UNDP to focus its National Human Development Report on Sustainable and Liveable Cities: Toward Ecological Civilization. The report focuses on two main questions: how can we make China’s cities more liveable, and how can we ensure that citizens better enjoy the potentials associated with urban growth? To answer these questions, the report explores the current urban transformation in China from the perspective of human development. It looks at international practices and makes recommendations and projections into the future, based on the key areas of China’s urban transfor- mation that will directly affect people. i We are aware that there have been numerous insightful studies on urbanisation in China in recent years focus- ing on subjects such as low carbon cities, urban planning, and so on. The current report does not attempt to replicate them. Rather, it explores a range of topics - health, employment, housing, social services, culture, as well as cross-sectoral issues like inequality, rural-urban linkages, the natural environment, through a sustainable human development lens. China’s political commitment to a successful urban transformation is unambiguous. The country’s leadership has placed urbanisation on top of its political agenda. The government of China is fully aware of the need to turn its attention to making sure that its cities are more liveable, more humane, and sustainable for its people. Premier Li Keqiang stated in March 2013 that the new model of urbanisation should be human-centred, and should ensure the prosperity of the people, and the quality of urbanisation. The country’s leadership adopted the policy of Ecological Civilization and is aiming to green its development trajectory as well as to nurture the countries evolving social and cultural creativity. President Xi Jinping stated in April 2013 that China will focus more on the quality and efficiency of economic development, to build a “Beauti- ful China”, and will strengthen the ecological civilization construction with more efforts toward green develop- ment, circular development and low-carbon development and to balance industrial development and green, sustainable development. Since urbanisation stands at the intersection diverse economic, social, political, cultural and environmental poli- cy streams, guiding the urbanisation process requires good governance - good policies, good division of labour and coordination - horizontally across sectors and vertically across levels of government. It also requires good cooperation between government, private sector, social organisations and citizens. This Report is a collaboration between the UNDP China and Institute for Urban and Environmental Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. It was compiled by a distinguished team of Chinese and international experts. I would like to extend my sincere thanks and warmest congratulations to all the authors and particularly Professor Pan Jiahua’s team for their outstanding work. I would also like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation and gratitude to the Royal Norwegian Embassy, the Peace and Development Foundation, Leighton Asia, Tianyan Green Energy Corporation, Stora Enso and Veolia Group for their generous donations that have made this report possible, and to the many colleagues in the United Nations System who provided valuable