DEMONSTRATING CLEANER AND BETTER TRANSPORT IN

EUROPEAN CITIES

WEDNESDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER; 1430-1700

CHINA - SOME FACTS AND FIGURES

Level of urbanisation is at about 50 percent and is in rapid development owing to migrant worker influxes (75% in the EU)

70% of energy derived from coal (17% from renewables with a target of 30% by 2050)

Highly energy intensive and inefficient economy

Severe environmental degradation (20 of the world’s 30 most polluted cities are in China) leading to health problems, e.g. respiratory illnesses from air pollution

Second largest consumer of luxury goods in the world

Over 500 million in a country of 1.3 billion are Internet users, but the connection speed is half the global average

MOBILITY FACTS AND FIGURES

China is the third most visited country in the world

The national road network has been significantly expanded

The world’s largest automobile market with private car ownership experiencing massive growth, 40 million annual vehicle sales by 2020

Significant rise in traffic accidents – cca 62,000 fatalities in 2011

Rapid transit systems (underground, light rail) growing

China’s own GPS system offers commercial services since 2011

17% of the mainland population under 15, 13% older than 64

DISCUSSION

What might be topics of common interest between European and Chinese cities in the field of urban mobility?

What opportunities are there for dialogue in the future?

What specific recommendations could be passed on to the EC for future cooperation?