Dr Xiaoqian SongLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window, Associate Professor, Shanghai Jiaotong University

Abstract:

The world is experiencing fast urbanization, with cities and towns accounting for 57% of the world’s population in 2022. In China, it will reach 70% within five years. Rapid urbanization and industrialization bring increasing demands to cities for energy, resources, food, and water, as well as environmental problems such as carbon emission, air pollution, overloaded waste disposal systems, etc. In the past 40 years, China’s reform and opening-up policy has enabled cities to make significant contributions to national economic growth. However, development comes at a cost. This lecture will focus on China's pathways to urban sustainability and green transition. Also, I will tell China’s story from three main areas: industrial symbiosis and waste management, regional environmental impact assessments, and green transition in China. Through this, I hope to provide a lens into China’s journey toward urban sustainable development—a journey filled with lessons, challenges, and opportunities.

Date: Monday 20 January 2025

Time: 11:00 - 12:00

Venue: R2.23, Ramphal Building, University of Warwick

All welcome

Register here

We are excited to invite you to join the Warwick Nexus Reading Group for a stimulating exploration of the novel The Ministry for the Future (Orbit, 2020) by Kim Stanley Robinson.

This gripping work imagines a near-future world deeply impacted by climate disaster, sparking radical activism, geo-engineering, and a shift in global governance.

As the novel unfolds in the 2020s and 2030s, it challenges our understanding of the climate crisis and asks whether science fiction can offer better solutions for the Anthropocene than traditional literary fiction. 

Why attend?

This is an excellent opportunity to challenge the way we think about the future of our planet and the fight for survival. Whether you're interested in climate change, speculative fiction, or global sustainability, we welcome you to participate and be part of this thought-provoking discussion, led by research experts. 

Details:

• Session 1: 22nd January 2024, 12:00pm - 2:00pm, location TBC (UoW campus)
• Session 2: 29th January 2024, 12:00pm - 2:00pm, location TBC (UoW campus)

Register here to secure your place. 

On 26 January Lukashenka will claim another term in office. Does this have any effect on how Ukrainians view Belarus? This webinar will assess the bilateral relationship in the context of another fraudulent election in Belarus and continued uncertainty in the region.

Details of speakers to follow.