Peer-Learning on the Sustainable Low Carbon Development between Suzhou and Portland

[Oct 24th,2011,Suzhou,Jiangsu Province]

The city of Portland (Oregon State) is now known as the "Green Capital" in the U.S. Although it was called "stump town" in the past, it has taken numerous actions on climate change and low carbon city development since the 1990's. Their spirit of craft, innovation, community and originality is creating a high-growth, low-carbon city. They've gone from grey to green. Portland is now one of the few cities in the world that has improved both its economy and environment. In 2009, Portland launched their "Climate Action Plan" which addresses the balance and development in both economy and low carbon, and initiated several serious action programs. The Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) translated Portland's Climate Action Plan into Chinese and references it during their Climate Leadership Academy (CLA) workshops for the government officials in charge of climate change mitigation in various cities.

As Suzhou Municipal Development and Reform Commission (DRC) Vice Director Mr. Gu Haidong explained, Suzhou is also developing and transitioning to become a low carbon eco city. In addition, Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP) is one of 24 pilot organizations for the future Low Carbon Economy in Jiangsu Province. So far, it has completed its low carbon development planning, and is implementing the program.

Today, Portland Mayor Mr. Sam Adams and his delegation, Mr. Gu Haidong, Deputy Director of Suzhou DRC, Mr. Lei Bo, Chief of Resource and Environment Division of Suzhou DRC, Mr. Zhang Yi Shi, Deputy Director of SIP Economic Development Bureau, Mr. Xu Shaojie, Deputy Director of SIP Environmental Protection Bureau, plus experts and academics from Nanjing University's Research Center for Environmental and Low Carbon Technology and the Nanjing University-ISC EHS Academy got together to share experiences on low carbon city development. The participants also exchanged views on further cooperation between Portland and Suzhou on this subject.

Mr. Mel Rice, Director of ISC, said that the purpose of this small but important roundtable meeting was to take the opportunity of Mayor Sam Adams' visit to Suzhou to introduce Portland's leading experiences of low carbon city development to an important Chinese city and industrial park. The example of Portland's progress provides Chinese counterparts with valuable experiences and knowledge for sustainable city development. In addition, by communicating with Suzhou's government and SIP officials, America's city leaders can also understand the challenges that China's cities face and what they are doing to implement to sustainable development and environment protection. "Peer-learning" amongst city leaders enhances the understanding, promotes cooperation and the development of both parties, and provides more opportunities for cooperation on low carbon economy development for the cities of China and America.

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