Source: School of Environmental Science and Engineering

Written by: School of Environmental Science and Engineering

Translated by: Chen Jiaying

Co-sponsored by University of Tokyo, Sun Yat-sen University, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology and Seoul National University, the 4th “Asian Program for Incubation of Environmental Leaders (APIEL) – the Greater Pearl River Delta Project” came to a successful conclusion on March 3 in Sun Yat-sen University. The project started in 2009, and the organizers hope to provide a long-term effective communication platform and cultivate more Asian environmental leaders with international perspective, outstanding action capability and familiarity with Asian countries’ development situation, who will play a leading role and promote the solution to the 21st century’s environmental problems in their respective fields. The theme for this year’s activity is “Sustainable Urban Development toward Green City: the Greater Pearl River Delta (GPRD), China.” With duration of eleven days, the activity was held in Hong Kong University of Science & Technology for the first three days and in Sun Yat-sen University for the following seven days. 24 postgraduates from 8 countries participated in the activity. Each of the four universities selected six postgraduates, and the six postgraduates of Sun Yat-sen University were from the School of Environmental Science and Engineering, and the School of Geography and Planning.

Professor Keisukei HANAKI from the University of Tokyo gave a keynote lecture. Professor Chen Zeqiang from Hong Kong University of Science & Technology; Professor Li Shiyu and Professor Xue Desheng from Sun Yat-sen University; Professor Kim Kyungmin and Dr. Jung Hyejin from Seoul National University; gave theme lectures respectively on the relationship between global and regional environmental carrying capacity and life quality, air pollution in Hong Kong and Pearl River Delta, economic development and green city planning in Greater Pearl River Delta, water environment variation and environmental carrying capacity, the influence of high density urban design on life quality, and GIS application in environment. On their way from Hong Kong to Guangzhou, the students also visited Shenzhen and Dongguan. During their stay in Guangzhou, they paid visits to cases of urban construction and renewal such as Liede New Village, Donghao Stream and Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, so they could experience great changes brought about by rapid economic development and urbanization, and the new problems and challenges. Students of the four universities also conducted many outdoor investigations, such as the transformation of Xiaozhou Village in Haizhu District into the most beautiful village in Guangzhou, and the concern over environment quality of Guangzhou by students in Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center.

The students who took part in the incubation program also chose their own research topics to carry out real life case studies. They conducted surveys and gave oral defense on the transformation pattern of urban villages and the improvement of life environment, the relationship between civil consciousness and improvement of major environmental problems, the relationship between public green space and stress relief, and sustainable community ethnic relations. Through study, discussion and case study, the students learned more about the concept of building green cities. Through social surveys they recognized the environmental problems and challenges faced by sustainable city development and the necessary strategies and measures. At the same time, they also went through the process of developing leadership skills.