Mapping China: Urbanisation - 6 Urban Ecology

The rapid increase of population density in Chinese cities brings with it issues of urban ecology. Alarming environmental crises are hitting Chinese cities with higher frequency. Thick smog in north China has almost shut cities down. Continuous rain has led to flooding in dense urban areas that has cut off the transportation system and even cost lives. The development of an urban ecology, which evolved only after the 1980s, has become a central topic in urban discourses in recent years.

City planners and the authorities are now aware of the importance of a well-functioning urban ecology better than at any time in history. In 2013, the central government designated ‘building an ecological system of civilisation’ as a key aspect of China's social reform by 2020. It is stated in government declarations that: "We should accelerate system-building to promote ecological progress, improve institutions and mechanisms for developing geographical space, conserving resources and protecting the ecological environment and promoting a modernisation featuring harmonious development between Man and Nature."

There are both successful and pending examples of the creation of urban ecology plans and the realisation of consequential projects. Urban ecology does not have a long history in China but its development has been regarded as a systematic effort from day one. Policies are issued and implemented to address various challenges on different scales. Typical schemes include low-carbon city planning, urban water progammes, and the development of a green building code.