Low Carbon Development in Collaboration with the Nankai University
A multidisciplinary seminar on Local and Regional Actions for Low Carbon Development in China and Finland gathered Finnish and Chinese experts to Turku. The increasing environmental problems and continuing desire for economic growth create conflicting challenges and a demand for new solutions.
( Up, from the left) Professor LI Jianmin, Professor David Woodroffe, Professor Chang Yi-xin, (Middle) Professor Wu Fan, Rina Bao, Professor WU Jing from the Nankai University, (Front) Tianjin Coordinator Megumi Hayashi from the City of Turku, University Lecturer Outi Luova from the University of Turku and Air Protection Specialist Miika Meretoja from the City of Turku.
In the seminar, the actions and capabilities of Finnish and Chinese localities and regions to become more conscious and concerned about environmental matters were analysed. The seminar was arranged by the Centre for East Asian Studies and the Finland Futures Research Centre of the University of Turku.
The Challenge of Urbanization
The seminar focused particularly on urban areas. Since 2008, half of the world's population lives in cities, and the proportion is expected to reach 70% by 2050. Only in China, 350 million people are expected to move to cities within a period of 25 years. To solve the complex challenges that urbanization creates, climate change as the most imminent issue, new types of approaches are needed.
- A cross-disciplinary and collaborative approach is required to find new pathways to low carbon development – in environmental issues as well as in the fields of governance, economy and society, tells University Lecturer Outi Luova from the University of Turku.
Partners in Research
The city of Tianjin is one of the Chinese partners of the University of Turku and they cooperate especially in the field of environmental research.
Professor Wu Fan from the Nankai University, China, visited Finland and the University of Turku for the first time. She was impressed about the seminar’s multidisciplinary perspective.
– Experts and scholars from different subjects of engineering science, urban planning, social policy and economics meet, share and discuss their research on Low Carbon Development. This does promote academic talk and research on sustainable development among different fields and that is really a fantastic experience, Fan says.
– Also, during the visit, we have planned collaboration between our universities. We will have an online course on social policy in China, joint research and student exchanges.
Are You Environmentally Friendly?
According to Fan, the most essential question is how to change individual behavior to be more environmentally friendly.
– Whatever the goals of local and regional actions for low carbon development are, to achieve them, the individual level needs to be in accordance with the big picture. This means that the people’s lifestyle and behavior needs to be consistent with the requirements of sustainable development.
Fan states that the goal can’t be reached by introducing only technical support.
– To change their old cognitions, attitudes and behaviour, people need community participation, introduction of more environmentally friendly values and involvement of non-government organisations.
Text: Henna Borisoff
Photograph: Centre for East Asian Studies