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Environmental Impacts from Urban Transportation in China

China has one of the world's fastest-growing auto markets. A robust economy and soaring demand are behind the boom. In the context of urbanization and automobilization, Chinese cities are facing acute environmental and land-use challenges besides experiencing dramatic changes in economic, socio-demographic, and institutional development. What will happen to Chinese cities? How will these cities solve urban transportation problems via effective public policies and technology options?

Having recognized the urgent need for studying multidimensional impacts caused by urban transportation, Chinese and international researchers have conducted many urban transportation-related studies (Beijing Energy Efficiency Center 1997; Lee Schipper, Celine Marie-Lilliu et al. 2001; Daniel Sperling and Deborah Salon 2002; Chinese Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Engineering 2003; Gan 2003). One of key findings from these studies clearly shows that local transportation emissions have regional and global impacts.

Although medium- and small-sized cities contribute to 65% of the Chinese urban population, mega and big cities, such as Beijing and Shanghai, have been the favorite subjects of many existing studies. A lack of sufficient funding and research capability have made it more difficult for these medium- and small-sized cities to study their transportation-related environmental problems.

Aiming to address the local priority (air pollution) and global concerns (urbanization and carbon emissions in developing countries), the proposed project will examine the current challenges and opportunities in urban transportation development of Chinese medium- and small-sized cities, introduce decision-making tools to city-level decision makers, as well as stimulate a wide-ranging discussion on sustainable transportation at local level. The proposed project, which is the first phase of a long-term research project, will involve the participation and collaboration of the National Center for Atmospheric Research - NCAR (U.S.) and the Energy Research Institute of State Development and Planning Commission -ERI (China).