Funded by  the European Commission’s Seventh Framework Programme, URBACHINA is a collaborative project managed by a consortium of 11 leading Chinese and European research institutions. Coordinated by the CNRS (France’s National Centre for Scientific Research), URBACHINA will analyse the trends in urbanization in China over the next 40 years and define possible future scenarios with reference to concepts of sustainability.

European Union – China cooperation

URBACHINA is a research project, which places strong emphasis on the cooperation between the EU and China. Although urbanisation in Europe and in China has  followed different  paths, there is nonetheless room for mutual learning. One of the main objectives of this project is to strengthen the collaboration between Chinese and EU researchers and policy-makers who are motivated  by the common goal of building sustainable cities.

Sustainability

Urbanisation has been a consequence of the accelerated pace of economic development triggered by a sequence of policies to open up and reform the Chinese economy at the end of 1978. Given the significant impact that recent rapid urbanisation trends have had on the environment, resources and health, the expected growth of China’s cities poses a unique challenge to sustainability.
URBACHINA specifically addresses four aspects of sustainability:
institutional foundations and policies;land, property and the urban rural divide; infrastructure and services for sustainable urbanisationtraditions and modern lifestyles in cities.

Objectives

URBACHINA ultimately aims to:

1. enhance the common understanding of urbanisation trends in both China and Europe,
2. identify the main aspects of urban sustainability,
3. influence policy-makers  and  society  on  sustainability  issues,  through  vigorous dissemination strategies i.e.  publications, events, media involvement and its website.

More information on the Website of URBACHINA

The blog UrbaChina aims to identify the latest news on four specific themes regarding urbanisation in China: the institutional foundations and policies for urbanisation;  the territorial expansion of Chinese cities; the infrastructures and services for sustainable urbanisation; the building of urban communities. It will also provide information on ongoing research within the FP7 Project UrbaChina : sustainable urbanisation in China, historical and comparative perspectives and large scale trends leading up to 2050.

• Redaction team
  • François Gipouloux, consortium coordinator
  • Jacqueline Nivard, chief editor
  • Monique Abud, editor
  • Sébastien Goulard, editor
  • Chi-Han Ai, editor
• Photographic credits : Wang Ju 王菊.  The  header photo  was taken in Qibao 七宝镇, in the western suburb of Shanghai, in 2011.

François Gipouloux

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