Friend’s of Imperial College

The eco-cities of China-

can they teach us a lesson?

Peter .R. Head - OBE - FREng - FCGI- FRSA Director Arup 19th November 2008

London

Contents:

1. Introduction

2. The emerging vision of an ecological civilisation and eco-cities in China

3. Guidelines for a transition to the ecological age

4. Transition to the ecological age in developed economies like Europe’s

1. Introduction

The shrinking earth, the need to move away from the

Industrial Age model of development to scientific

sustainable development

Can we move towards a sustainable

way of living?

What policies and investments are needed

in low, middle and high income countries?

What is the role of science and technology

in leading this transition to an Ecological Age?

Our Shrinking Earth

1900

7.91 1950

5.15 1987

2.60 2005

2.02 2030

1.69 2050

1.44

YEAR

Hectares of Land Per Capita

Ecological Footprint city comparisons

USA 9 global hectares per

person

Western Europe 6 global

hectares per person

China 1.6 global hectares per

person

Global Earthshare

1.8 global hectares

per person

Oil Reserves Have Peaked Energy Watch Group. “Crude Oil: The Supply Outlook”. EWG-Series No3/2007 October 2007.

the mitigation challenge: global ‘energy hunger’