InfoAnda - China hopes 'eco-city' will prove a model alternative

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Judge drops charges in Calif. paparazzo attack | 3 July 2010
Pakistani stocks flat; o/n rates down; rupee weaker | 14 May 2010
New Sony CEO to directly oversee troubled TV ops | | 27 March 2012

Murdoch says Fox, Conan have had "conversations" | 3 February 2010

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : China hopes 'eco-city' will prove a model alternative

Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail More Yahoo! Services Account Options New User? Sign Up Sign In Help Yahoo! Search web search Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Australia China India Indonesia Japan Malaysia Philippines Thailand Vietnam China hopes 'eco-city' will prove a model alternative AFP - Sunday, October 3 Send IM Story Print China hopes 'eco-city' will prove a model alternative TIANJIN, China (AFP) - – At a construction site in northern China, a billboard boasts of a "liveable city" where residents can drink tap water, travel on clean energy public transport and enjoy acres of parkland. For now, the ambitious "eco-city" covering 30 square kilometres (11.6 square miles) of non-arable salt pans and former fishing villages has more cranes than wind turbines and will not be finished for at least another decade. But its developers hope the settlement near the port city of Tianjin will serve as an ultra-efficient alternative to ill-planned and heavily polluting mega-cities not only elsewhere in the country, but around the world. "We hope to influence our neighbours," said Goh Chye Boon, chief executive of Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Investment & Development Co. "With the right ingredients, with the right eco mindset, I think together we can change the environment." The governments of China and Singapore have combined their expertise and finances to develop the future city, which has a planned population of 350,000 and includes schools, medical facilities and business districts. Foreign companies such as Japan's Hitachi and Dutch electronics giant Philips will provide green technology for the development, where buildings will be insulated and have double-glazed windows to increase energy efficiency. Nearly two-thirds of household waste will be recycled and 20 percent of the city's power will come from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar -- with the rest coming from other sources such as highly polluting coal. Treated sewage will be channelled into a lake which will supplement water supplies for local communities. "Eco-cities are needed because China is facing a huge challenge of pollution," said Hiroaki Suzuki, a top specialist in the Finance, Economic and Urban Department of the World Bank, which is assisting on the project. "China's serious pollution problems do not mean that it cannot develop an eco-city." Top leaders in Beijing also hope the project will serve as a model for a long-term solution to the country's ballooning urban population, which is putting enormous pressure on already strained water and energy resources. China is undergoing an unprecedented urbanisation process as hundreds of millions of people have headed to fast-growing metropolitan areas since the nation's economy embarked on a fast-paced growth track more than 30 years ago. To handle the massive influx of people, China may need to invest up to 3.6 trillion dollars in urban infrastructure by 2020, state media said last month, citing a report by the state think-tank China Development Research Foundation. Greenpeace supports the development of "eco-cities" as a way to handle urban overcrowding, which it says could prevent China from curbing its world-leading carbon emissions and meeting its ambitious energy targets. "It's a really good idea because that is where change has to happen," Yang Ailun, climate and energy campaign manager for the environmental watchdog in China, told AFP. But Yang cautioned it was very difficult for Beijing to develop truly low-carbon cities when there was no clear definition of the term and the country was still developing. China has already broken ground on a separate ecologically friendly settlement that has yet to been finished. In 2005, former British prime minister Tony Blair and Chinese President Hu Jintao agreed the two countries could collaborate on building the world's first so-called "eco-city" Dongtan, near Shanghai. The "city of the future" was meant to be showcased at this year's World Expo in Shanghai but the settlement remains in the planning stages. Plans for dozens of other low-carbon "eco-cities" and towns are springing up around the country, as developers rush to cash in on the green movement and government authorities seek to attract foreign investors to their regions. China recently carried out low-carbon technology pilot projects in five provinces and eight municipalities, with the aim of rolling them out nationwide, said the country's chief climate change official, Xie Zhenhua. "We hope that through our concerted efforts, we can work out incentives and policy measures that support upgrading of technologies and changing people's consumption patterns," Xie told reporters this week. Goh insists the Tianjin development will not be another Dongtan -- construction of the first stage is under way, with the first batch of apartments on sale and residents due to start moving in as early as next year. "We are far from the Dongtan example -- we have got over the masterplan stage and are executing it now," he said. When AFP visited the sprawling site, several buildings were under construction, some streets had been paved and marked, trees planted and wind-solar powered street lights erected. But it is a long way from the miniaturised model on display in the exhibition hall, which shows hundreds of high-rise buildings surrounded by 1,500 hectares of parks and wetlands, broken up by crystal-clear waterways. Recommend Send IM Story Print Related Articles Japan FM downplays 'bad neighbour' label on China AFP - 36 minutes ago Poverty still stalks resource-rich Mongolia AFP - 37 minutes ago Indonesia police kill five suspected militants AFP - 1 hour 6 minutes ago CGames: D-Day arrives for fortress Delhi AFP - 1 hour 14 minutes ago Libya releases S.Korea pastor, diplomacy row ebbs AFP - 1 hour 53 minutes ago News Search Top Stories US contemplating travel alert for Europe Foreclosures bungle could hit US banks Mix of sadness, triumph as Brazil's Lula makes his exit China's Wen calls on EU to help it reform financial system Bazil's Petrobras expands capitalization to 71.6 bln dollars More Top Stories » ADVERTISEMENT Most Popular Most Viewed Most Recommended Brake problem forces BMW, Rolls-Royce recall Schwarzenegger, California lawmakers in budget deal IMF urges cooperation to prevent 'currency war' Mix of sadness, triumph as Brazil's Lula makes his exit China launches second lunar probe More Most Viewed » US state executes first woman in nearly 100 years 'Time bomb' superbug requires global response: doctor Workers swarm Europe's streets in anti-cuts protests More Most Recommended » Elsewhere on Yahoo! Financial news on Yahoo! Finance Stars and latest movies Best travel destinations More on Yahoo! News Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Subscribe to our news feeds Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS » More news feeds | What are news feeds? Also on Yahoo! Answers Groups Mail Messenger Mobile Travel Finance Movies Sports Games » All Yahoo! Services Site Highlights Singapore Full Coverage Most Popular Asia Entertainment Photos World Cup 2010 Yahoo! News Network Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community | Intellectual Property Rights Policy | Help

Other News on Sunday, 3 October 2010
No talks until Israel halts settlements
Italian protestors call for Berlusconi's resignation
Rousseff ends Brazil campaign in Lula heartland |
Bazil's Petrobras expands capitalization to 71.6 bln dollars
Armed gang kidnaps group near Acapulco's tourist strip |
Discovery of New Earth-Like Planet Triggers Huge Web Search
Iran says several held for spying on nuclear sites |
Ecuador's Correa to purge rebel police, probe foes |
N.Korea seeks talks with South on resuming tours
Whitman looks to regain momentum in second debate
Labor, civil rights groups rally on Mall
Grand jury indicts accused California kidnappers
NJ student's suicide resonates on campus, beyond
Photos show US soldiers posing with Afghan corpses
Minimum and maximum global temperatures
Sonia Rykiel takes 'Golden Brown' trip to 70s
Put a shirt on with Viktor and Rolf
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Countries reach tentative anti-counterfeiting pact
US novelist Franzen hit by UK recall
UK govt to scrap 'no touch' rule for teachers
Greece picks up Chinese support as Wen visits
Druidry recognised as religion in Britain
Warner, MGM near approving Hobbit film: report |
Boosters hope Alaska will be Hollywood Far North |
2 NATO service members killed in Afghanistan
No talks until Israel halts settlements, PLO says |
Hope for change as Pope visits Mafia heartland
Australia's PM makes surprise visit to Afghanistan
Lula's pick favored as Brazil votes for president |
Bosnians vote amid pessimism and divisions |
Iran says several held for spying on nuclear sites
US contemplating travel alert for Europe
Foreclosures bungle could hit US banks
Syria's Assad rebuffs Washington by courting Iran
Ecuador's Correa backs off dissolving Congress |
Mix of sadness, triumph as Brazil's Lula makes his exit
China's Wen calls on EU to help it reform financial system
Mexico probing Acapulco tourist kidnapping report |
Fidel Castro may visit Venezuela, Chavez says |
Paraguayan leader's health stable after treatment |
Australian PM visits Afghanistan
DC rally shows support for struggling Democrats
Warner, MGM near approving "Hobbit" film: report
China's Hu pledges strong ties with new N.Korea leadership
Boosters hope Alaska will be "Hollywood Far North"
Japan-based Lee new WBA super bantamweight champion
Jankovic, Date Krumm advance at China Open
Contender for Nobel prize is in Chinese prison
China hopes 'eco-city' will prove a model alternative
Beth Ditto brings Jean Paul Gaultier XXL appeal
Italian architect unveils new wing at US art museum
Greece picks up Chinese support as Wen visits
Thousands march in S.Africa against gay discrimination
Vigorous Exercise Shown To Reduce Risk of Breast Cancer In African Americans
CNN Fires Rick Sanchez Over Racist Comments
Warner, MGM near approving "Hobbit" film: report
Armored Truck Security Guard Gunned Down in Heist
Photographer Larry Clark attacks age limit on his Paris show
Boosters hope Alaska will be "Hollywood Far North"
Indonesian police probe deadly train crash
Afghanistan begins disbanding private security firms |
Bosnian voters hope elections will bring change
Police Horses Struck By Car
Grenade attack in Mexico injures 12 people |
US contemplating travel alert for Europe
U.S. Apologizes For Giving Guatemalans STDs
Iraq crackdown on bombers brings silenced killings |
U.S. Issues Alert for People Traveling to Europe
Young Boy Killed In House Fire During Religious Ceremony
Latvia PM wins election |
Palestinians want peace talks to continue: US envoy
German president welcomes Islam during unity speech |
Thai queen leaves hospital after heart scare
US has 'dragged the world in mud' says Ahmadinejad
Civilians among dead in Afghanistan strike: police |
C'weath Games set to open after shambolic run-up
Suspected Muslim separatists kill 3 Thai soldiers |
Building collapse kills eight in China
Indonesia police kill six suspected militants
Japan FM downplays 'bad neighbour' label on China
Poverty still stalks resource-rich Mongolia
Libya releases S.Korea pastor, diplomacy row ebbs
Fiji military regime arrests opposition leader
Philippines to acquire aircraft from Italy, Poland
Most British teachers have thought about quitting
Europe, Asia leaders gather as Japan-China row lurks
TV industry show hails smartphone, Facebook era
Time for new 'gold standard', says star French chef Ducasse
China-Africa 2010 trade 'to top $100 bln'
Saudi women fight for control of their marital fate
New York opera houses woo new fans with edgier fare |
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph		BlogMeter 1.01