BEIJING, November 26, 2020-Funded by Heinrich-Boll-Stiftung Beijing Representative Office, The Rock Environment and Energy Institute (REEI) held its Seminar on Sustainable Transportation in Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province. REEI has been focusing on low-emission transportation for two years. We had chosen Shaoxing City as a case study to observe its development and achievement of low-emission and sustainable transportation.

We discussed various topics relating to Shaoxing City in respect of transportation. These included: how people in Shaoxing commute, the development of electric vehicles in the city, and the role of renewable energy in the transformation of low-carbon transportation. With regard to future policy making for the city, we think it is important to take the benefits to health and climate into account and draw on Shaoxing’s sister cities’ experience of building a low-carbon transportation system.

There were experts who attended the seminar from environmental, governmental, academic and transportation settings. Passers-by stopped at the venue and joined the seminar as well, which seems to indicate people’s interest in the sustainable transportation of Shaoxing City.

KEYNOTE SPEECH

REEI’s council member Mr. Pan Xiaochuan addressed a speech at the seminar, who is also a professor at the Peking University Health Service Center. Mr. Zhao Ang and Mr. Lin Jiaqiao, co-founders of REEI, the director of The Shaoxing Zhaolu Center for Environmental Public Service, Mr. Xu Qinshi also gave speeches at the event too. 

Professor Pan Xiaochuan advises REEI on programmes. He discussed the future development of city transportation through the lens of health, giving a talk about the impacts of transportation emissions on people’s health.

Mr. Xu Qinshi lives in Shaoxing and was involved in the programme to develop sustainable transportation there. He shared his views on the development of Shaoxing’s transportation and some amusing anecdotes from implementing the programme. 

Mr. Xu Qinshi speaks at the event

He thought that electric vehicle have good prospects - he would buy one in the future. Other delegates and attendees expressed similar views.

Mr. Zhao Ang and Mr. Lin Jiaqiao worked as researchers for the Shaoxing programme. They shared their opinions on the strategy of the development and establishment of Shaoxing’s low-carbon transportation in the context of China’s 2060 carbon neutrality target. They explained China’s 2060 carbon neutrality target and expounded on their proposed approach for local government, with pathways to implement the goal involving further embracing renewable energy and drawing on the experience of Shaoxing’s sister cities.

ROUND-TABLE DISCUSSION

In round-table discussion, Professor Chen Guohe with Shaoxing University expressed his interest in the topics of environment, pollution and health. He expected that more and more research would be done on these areas. The deputy curator of Shaoxing Museum and CPPCC member, Mrs. Shen Yiping suggested exhibiting the research results of the programme at the museum, directing people’s increasing attention to the topic so as to better establish future support for sustainable transportation. Mr. Wu Zhihua shared his 40-year-experience of working for the transportation bureau of Shaoxing City and hoped that the city’s transportation will be more convenient and low-carbon in the future.