In a globalized world, China's economic, environmental and urban development has implications for us all, posits Henry M. Paulson Jr. The problems the country faces, and any potential solutions, revolve around its approach to urbanization.
According to Paulson, the two pillars of growth that have driven China's economic emergence and global prosperity - investment and exports - are "delivering diminishing returns," He proposes that China adopt a new model for future success, “one that relies on consumption to generate growth, while addressing debt and broadening the use of sustainable energy and environmental practices.” Amid continued urbanization, the country's cities are key to this transformation.
Paulson highlights problems with China's local governance, construction industries and environmental factors, and illustrates how these affect the rest of world. For example, he points out, “[e]xperts found that dirty air from China contributed up to 20 percent of the ground-level pollution on the American West Coast in 2010.” China's air quality will only worsen as more of the hundreds of millions of Chinese consumers begin to own cars. To give a sense of its scale, Paulson writes, “[b]y 2025, China is projected to have a staggering 200 cities with populations over one million. America has just nine.”
For Paulson, cities are at the root of China's problems, as well as the source for solutions, especially now, as it experiences “its most severe economic downturn in decades." Chinese cities are home to hundreds of millions of consumers, often plagued by “debt, corruption and dissent," and responsible for producing “monster traffic jams and syrocketing pollution,” he explains. But, if China embraces new approaches and tools, including "instruction in sustainable practices for government leaders, public education in environmental issues and specialized training for the country’s urban planners,” it may be able to address the many issues it faces as it continues to urbanize.
FULL STORY: How Cities Can Save China

Planning for Congestion Relief
The third and final installment of Planetizen's examination of the role of the planning profession in both perpetuating and solving traffic congestion.

Minneapolis Housing Plan a Success—Not for the Reason You Think
Housing advocates praise the city’s move to eliminate single-family zoning by legalizing triplexes on single-family lots, but that isn’t why housing construction is growing.

New White House Housing Initiative Includes Zoning Reform Incentives
The Biden administration this morning released a new program of actions intended to spur housing construction around the United States.

Study: Most of Vancouver Is a ‘15-Minute City’
A large majority of Vancouver residents can access a grocery store in 15 minutes or less by bicycle or on foot.

Urban Design, Transport, and Health
The Lancet medical journal published a series of articles that explore how to evaluate and guide urban planning decisions to create healthy and sustainable cities. Live long and prosper!

Detroit Bike Share Celebrates Five Years
In its five years of operation, Detroit’s MoGo bikeshare has added electric and adaptive bikes to its fleet of more than 600 bikes.
Ada County Highway District
PolicyMap
City & Borough of Juneau
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Redwood City
City of Rohnert Park
City of Hot Springs
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.