50 best practices from China for sustainable urban development

With Asian cities set to contribute to two-thirds of the world’s urban population growth by 2020, cities in China have demonstrated that it is possible to achieve low-carbon and climate-resilient growth, says the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The ADB’s 50 Climate Solutions from Cities in the People’s Republic of China: Best Practices from Cities Taking Action on Climate Change report showcases case studies of cities in China that are taking steps towards sustainable growth without sacrificing economic prosperity.

Some of the notable case studies from the report include:

• Hengshui, Hebei province: With China having the world’s highest per capita pork consumption, a biogas company in Hengshui is buying pig waste from local farmers to convert this into electricity using anaerobic digesters. The biogas created can generate 8.42 GWh of electricity annually, bringing in revenue of more than CNY6 million. With pig slurry a major source of methane and ammonia, better management of manure has also reduced water and air pollution near pig farms.
• Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region: To combat -40°C winters, Hohhot is replacing its coal-powered district heating network with one that uses wind. The city has 18 GW of installed wind capacity, which accounts for 25 percent of the national total. However, it underutilises this resource, with curtailing rates of more than 45 percent. Replacing coal with wind energy to heat homes will increase returns on wind investment. Additionally, this will also reduce the thick, toxic smog that often fills Hohhot’s cold air, and bring an end to the associated health problems for the city’s residents.
• Taiyuan, Shanxi province: The largest city in the Shanxi province has moved to cut street-level air pollution by replacing all of its 8,292 taxis with electric vehicles. This is expected to drop carbon emissions by 222,000 tons each year and reduce the incidence of respiratory diseases. Taxi operators have also saved about CNY11.8 million in operating costs since the commencement of the project.

“Climate change could severely impact developing Asia and the Pacific’s economic growth in the decades to come if no action is taken,” said ADB Deputy Director General for East Asia Ms. M. Teresa Kho at the launch of the report in Beijing. “Actions taken in many cities in China show that it is certainly possible to start to turn the wheel around on climate change and its impacts. Other countries could well find useful lessons from China’s experience.”