World views Zhuhai as a model for sustainable cities

Zhuhai is cited as an example for the standardization of urban sustainability across China as representatives of 15 countries gather in the city to hash out the topic.

The 7th plenary and workgroup (WG) meetings of the ISO/TC 268 Sustainable Cities & Communities opened here on May 14 and will run through May 18.

Chairman of ISO/TC268 Bernard Gindroz addressed more than 200 experts at the opening ceremony. The guests, whether from China, France, Japan, Britain, Germany, or the United States, are sharing insights on how to standardize sustainable urban development. Comprehensive and feasible approaches will be proposed.

The Technical Committee (TC) 268 of the International Organization for Standardization was founded in 2012. It is devoted to the standardization of sustainability in cities and communities. The committee's secretariat was set up in the Association Francaise de Normalisation (AFNO), which is governed by the Law of 1901, consisting of nearly 2,500 member companies. The committee guides and supports urban and rural cities and communities in sustainability. Having published 22 ISO standards (including those in process), ISO/TC 268 supports UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The goals note that internationally, "Sustainable development cannot be achieved without significantly transforming the way we build and manage our urban spaces."

Sustainability takes center stage [Photo by Song Xuemei / Zhuhai Daily]

During the ceremony, Kong Lingdong of the Zhuhai government Party Leadership Group spoke of the city's pursuit of healthy urban development and better life for residents. This, he said, has driven the development of the city's ecology over the past 40 years. He credited the process in part to scientific methods formulated by the ISO/TC 268.

Gindroz thanked China for hosting the conference and spoke highly of Zhuhai's achievements and contributions. He said more Chinese cities could play greater roles in standardizing sustainable development around the world. Kong asserted that to realize this, Zhuhai will pave its own path to success as an example to be emulated.

Zhuhai was approved in March as the only one in Guangdong to build an exemplary Standard International Innovation-Driven City. This endorsement is expected to pace up internationalization of the city's standards and boost high-quality economic development and high-grade urban opening up, according to a spokesperson.

Chen Hongjun, deputy director of the Standardization Administration (SAC) of the PRC, attended the ceremony. Others present included Deputy Director Gao Guosheng of the Party Leadership Group of the Guangdong Provincial Bureau of Quality & Technology Supervision; Yang Zeshi, director of the Service Standards of SAC; and Tang Wanjin, vice-president of the China National Institute of Standardization.