Building Sustainable Cities in China: Experience, Challenges, and Prospects

According to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the sustainable development goal 11 is to “make cities and human settlement inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”. China has been making great effort in this respect. With the advancement in science and technology, the concepts of green development, environmental friendliness, and fair development are gradually moving from theories to practices, guiding the construction and development of sustainable cities in China. Over the past 40 years of reform and opening up, the overall process of China’s construction of sustainable cities and development can be divided into three stages: the initial practice stage (1986–2000), the stage focusing on transformation (2001–2012), and the stage emphasizing coordinated development and social fairness (2012 to present). During the process, China has proposed and carried out a series of pilot demonstrations of sustainable cities, eco-cities, garden cities, low-carbon cities, livable cities, resilient cities, sanitary cities, sponge cities, and circular economy cities. It has achieved remarkable results with valuable experience; meanwhile, it still faces many challenges considering the current practices. With the integration of planning for the national economy and social development, rural and urban development, land use, and other aspects, as well as the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, sustainable urban practices in China will receive more policy support and effective administrative support. As the largest developing country in the world, China’s practice in sustainable urban development undoubtedly has a broad demonstration effect and can contribute to global sustainable development.