China

Peak Coal: China's Carbon Emissions Drop as the Use of Coal Slows
In the long struggle to reduce the impacts of climate change, we may have finally hit a positive milestone, as China's use of coal peaked in 2014.

Planetizen Week in Review: August 8, 2016
It only takes two minutes to catch up on the biggest news stories of the week.

China's Urbanization Boom May Be Slowing
After a period of modernization and urban growth unrivaled in human history, several forces promise a slump, or at least a slowing. Maybe it's time to improve existing cities, not keep building new ones.

Uber Suffers Setback in China
A deal between Uber and Didi Chuxing, in big news for the future of transportation network companies around the world and Uber's place in an evolving marketplace.

Borders From Above Are More Than Just Lines On A Map
International borders viewed from above show how different patterns of political, urban and agricultural development often collide.

Energy Agency Totals Annual Death Toll from Air Pollution at 6.5 Million
The study by the Paris-based International Energy Agency finds a direct connection to the energy industry. Credit goes to IEA executive director Fatih Birol for expanding the organization's mission beyond its traditional purpose, energy security.

Report: China Outspending North America and Western Europe on Infrastructure
There might still be such a thing as too much infrastructure spending, however.

What If Buses Could Pass Over Cars?
The latest from China: a concept for street-straddling buses that cars could pass underneath. The giant vehicles could improve worsening traffic and already-dire pollution levels, taking the place of many conventional buses.

Activists Track America's Electronic Waste
When a watchdog group partnered with MIT to install trackers on a batch of e-waste, the results were sobering. Much of the haul left the country, ending up in Asian junkyards where unknowing workers are exposed to toxic substances.

China's Last Wild River Could Remain Free of Dams
Plans to dam China's last wild river have been circulating since 2003, but now it seems that conservationists could emerge victorious
The Greening of Large Trucks Begins at California's Ports
A Planetizen blog post by Casey Brazeal asks, "When will the trucking industry electrify?" Three truck manufacturers and electric truck builder BYD Motors are now in competition thanks to a $23.6 million state grant to the South Coast Air District.

Safety Improvements for Texters Around the World
Cities are experimenting with safety measures for pedestrians who text while they walk, but the projects could benefit everyone.
Coal Industry: Down but Not Out
It's easy to focus on the shrinking market share and layoffs in the coal industry and see the demise of the industry, but construction of new coal burning power plants is still booming in countries like China and India.

The 3,000-Year-Old Document That Planned Beijing
The Guardian Cities details how the Kaogong Ji brought an ancient order to the sprawling city of Beijing.
Urban Fringe the New Frontier in China's New Urbanism
The Chinese government wants an influx of nearly 100 million new urban residents by 2020. In order to accommodate a migration of this nature, China's urban planners are tasked with creating cities to be more livable.
Skyscraper Construction Continues Record Breaking Pace
The new record for skyscrapers built in a year brakes the record set by the previous year. The record is expected to be set again next year.
China Announces New Planning Policies to Improve Urban Life
National leaders in China have recognized urban challenges like pollution and public safety as threats to residents of the country's cities, and have released a policy statement to begin a new era of urban policies.
New Delhi Restricts Diesel Cars; Beijing Issues Second Red Alert
It took an act of the Supreme Court for India to address the incredibly unhealthy levels of particulate matter in New Delhi. New rules are aimed at diesel cars, SUVs, and taxis. In Beijing, pollution triggered a red alert for only the second time.
Good News on Bad Air Day in Beijing
Calling Monday's air pollution a 'bad air day' is a gross understatement. The "soupy metallic haze" was comparable to walking through a coal mine. People were told not to go outside. But the good news is how the government is addressing pollution.

Historic Hong Kong: Visualizing a Changed City
Created with input from historian Mark Footer, this tool overlays street views of modern Hong Kong with historical photos from the colonial era through the 20th century.
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