The Eco-environmental Technology Workshop on Africa Sustainable City Construction held in HBUE
On October 12, The Eco-environmental Technology Workshop on Africa Sustainable City Construction was open in HBUE.20government officials and technicians representatives from 9 cities in 6 African countries including Malawi, Mauritius, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Egypt come for this 15-day workshop. The Workshop is host by The Department of International Cooperation of The Ministry of Science and Technology of China, and organized by HBUE.
The opening ceremony was presided over by Wen Xingsheng, the CPC Party Secretary of HBUE. Vice President Qi Laying delivered the opening remarks, which was followed by speeches addressed by Wang Runtao, Deputy Secretary-General of Hubei Provincial People's Government, Zhao Xinli Deputy Director of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology Exchange Center, member of the International Eurasian Academy of Sciences, and Desta Mebratu, Deputy Director of UNEP in Africa Division. Guests from Ministry of Science, Hubei Provincial Department of Science and Technology, Hubei Provincial Development and Strategic Planning Office, UNEP---Tongji Institute for Sustainable Development attended. At the end of the ceremony, Xu Xinqiao, Deputy Director of Hubei Provincial Development of Strategic Planning Office delivered a report on Hubei sustainable urban development planning with “Two circles and Two Belts”, followed by a keynote speech on "Low Carbon Transformation and Urban Development" by Professor Zhang Fenqin, the Vice Secretary of the CPC Party Committee of HBUE. A China-Africa friendship Night performance was presented.
Centered on sustainable urban planning and taught in a way of combining theoretical and practical teaching, The Workshop is focused on sustainable urban planning technologies,sustainable development of urban water management, urban water environment planning technology, new technological development and demonstration of urban safety water supply, sustainable urban development and transportation technology, urban energy technology, urban waste management and recycling technology, green transportation technology and other modules using teaching, discussion and on-the-spot investigation. The Workshop will also select Africa representative cities, and therefore to develop demonstration projects on sustainable urbanconstruction of ecological environment technologyplanning, along with the support of technology and experts from UNEP, UN-Habitat and HBUE.
To hold The Eco-environmental Technology Workshop on Africa Sustainable City Construction is a milestone for HBUE Collaborative Innovation Center of Ecological Civilization Construction, as it adheres to serving the community and society by undertaking scientific researches and has actively promoted the construction of environmental law and ecological environmental resources technology in years.
"Sustainable Cities" is a tendency to minimize the demand for energy, water or food and other necessities, and also to minimize the heat, carbon dioxide, methane and waste water of the city, to pursue economic growth, social justice, and also stress higher living standard and better environment.With the global urbanization, environmental and resource problems plaguing urban development and human settlements, the construction of "sustainable cities" has become an important strategy to address environmental resource problems of urbanization, among which, the eco-environmental technology is the core element to promote the "sustainable city" construction.
The Chinese government has included “Sustainable Cities” construction to long-term national development strategy, and it has produced many good practices in theory, case studies and experience. As a developing country, the Chinese government attaches great importance to build the sustainable development capacity in Africa, in particular the "China-Africa Science and Technology Partnership Program" which was launched by Chinese government in 2009 and has enhanced cooperation with African countries in the field of environmental protection, sustainable development, climate change and other global challenges. Meanwhile, China also hopes to share successful experiences with African countries in the field of sustainable urban development, ecological environment construction that China has learnt for years.
Workshop
Wen Xinsheng presides over the opening ceremony
Desta Mebratu, Deputy Director of UNEP in Africa Division, delivers speech