Background
SUPP is UN-Habitat China’s comprehensive engagement to enhance the collaboration and knowledge exchange on improved urban and territorial planning between China partners and UN-Habitat, in support of SDG 11.3 and 11.b.
These targets entail that by 2030, inclusive and sustainable urbanization shall be enhanced, with a special focus on the capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries. Moreover, the targets also aim at substantially increasing the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change and resilience to disasters.
Urban and territorial planning is not simply about controlling spatial or sectoral planning but shall support sustainable urban development in many ways, including the following:
- City development strategies and integrated development plans can prioritize investment decisions and encourage synergies and interactions between separate urban areas;
- Land-use plans can contribute to the protection of environmentally sensitive areas;
- Urban extension and infill plans can minimize transport and service delivery costs, optimize the use of land and support the protection and organization of urban open spaces
- Urban upgrading and retrofitting plans can increase residential and economic densities and promote more socially integrated communities.
In the New Urban Agenda, UN members recognized the need “to improve capacity for urban planning and design and the provision of training for urban planners at national, subnational and local levels.” The Sustainable Urban Planning Programme for China is to support that through special partnerships with Chinese cities and government bodies. The programme reaches out higher-level planning authorities and local governments, and engages community organisations, planning and research institutes.
Objective
Effectively support Chinese city partners with participatory, integrated and sustainable urban planning engagements, in order to enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization in China.
Brief Introduction of the Pilot Projects with Xuzhou City and with the Chengdu High-Tech Industrial Development Zone
SUPP was commenced with a city partnership initiative initiated by Xuzhou Municipal Government, started in 2018. Subsequently, SUPP has been engaging also in demonstrations and initiatives with other partner cities and communities.
The first project under SUPP was a significant collaboration yielding the “Xuzhou North Ecological New Town Planning Guideline”, which presented stakeholder recommendations and planning scenarios in the context of urban regeneration of an erstwhile coal mining area requiring a comprehensive transformation. The collaboration with Xuzhou also entailed a policy-science symposium on urban ecological regeneration programming in China and globally.
The Smart City Planning Guideline for the Chengdu High-Tech Zone provides advanced planning advice for the city partner, mainstreaming people-centred approaches to smart city solutions.
In the context of the SUPP, UN-Habitat China also provided feedback to the City of Nanjing when it formulated its new long-term urban development strategy. With the People’s Government of Dinghai District, Zhoushan City, Zhejiang Province,, UN-Habitat China, in collaboration with Tongji University, is completing a comprehensive review of its rural revitalization policies and programming and their impact on zero-carbon goals, using comprehensive urban planning and management knowhow.
Activities
- Review of partner planning policies, programmes, requirements
- Expert site assessments, reviews with stakeholders
- Production of research reports and planning guidelines.
- Hosting of or participation in specialised events and forums for knowledge sharing and project outcome promoting among different partners and stakeholders
- Supporting the participation of project partners in UN-Habitat relevant events in China and globally
Donors and Key Project Stakeholders
Donor:
Xuzhou Natural Resource and Planning Bureau, Jiangsu Province, China
Xuzhou Housing and Urban & Rural Construction Bureau, Jiangsu Province, China
Nanjing Planning and Natural Resource Bureau, Jiangsu Province, China
Committee of Chengdu Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone, Sichuan Province, China
People’s Government of Dinghai District, Zhoushan City, Zhejiang Province, China
Fenghuang Feiyang (Beijing) New Media Information Technology Co,, Ltd.
Key Project Stakeholders:
Xuzhou Municipal Government
Jiangsu Provincial Government
Nanjing Municipal Government
Chengdu Municipal Government
Sichuan Provincial Government
Zhoushan Municipal Government
Zhejiang Provincial Government
Tongji University
Energy Foundation
CPD-ICLEI
Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development (IOER)
Academia and Universities of Xuzhou City
Relevant Links
UN-Habitat and Xuzhou Municipal Government sign Memorandum of Understanding
International forum discusses 2035 Urban Development Plan for Nanjing City
