Sustainable World Cities Programme

Sustainable World Cities Resources

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The Sustainable World Cities Programme (SWCP) is based in the Centre of Urban Planning and Environmental Management (CUPEM) at the University of Hong Kong. It was launched in 2003 with seed funding from the University Development Fund.

Background

Existing research on the world city phenomenon has concentrated on characterising and ranking such cities in the context of the global economy. No institution elsewhere has clearly emerged as a focal point for comparative world city research and few attempts have been made to link concepts of sustainability with the pursuit of world city status. The overall aim of the SWCP is to develop analytical frameworks for comparative world city research from a sustainability perspective. Our principal focus is on established and emerging world cities in the Asia-Pacific Region.

Our research commenced in 1999. Drawing on the concepts of sustainability, globalisation, ecological modernisation and urban governance, an analytical framework for comparative world city research was developed. Our initial research findings (1) have been well received in academic and policy circles, revealing the distinctiveness and significance of this type of international comparative study. SWCP also underpins the Centre's research strategy which focuses on the planning and development of sustainable cities and regions.

Objectives

SWCP has the following objectives:

To position the University and the Centre as major contributors to the international discourse surrounding the characteristics and development of world cities
To provide a critical mass for research initiatives that will inform public policy making in the HKSAR as government pursues its policy objective of establishing Hong Kong as Asia's world city
To generate research outputs that will enable the Centre to play a leading role in international research networks and allow the Programme to achieve self-sustaining status through both local and international funding

(1) Ng, M. K. and P. Hills (2000) Hong Kong: World City or Great City of the World - Provisional Report, Hong Kong, CUPEM and Ng, M. K. and P. Hills (2003) "World Cities or Great Cities? A Comparative Study of Five Asian Metropolises", Cities. Vol. 20, No. 3, pp. 151-165.