The Second Asian City Journalist Conference was held with focus on sustainable urban transportation which is an increasingly important area of concern especially in fast growing cities, as the urban population increase and more people own cars and drive to work. Congestion, accidents, pollution and CO2 emissions are immediate and visible consequences. On a broader and longer-term context, comprehensive urban planning including planning of roads, mass transit systems and impact to the environment needs to be considered. Affordability and mobility of the urban poor and the vulnerable are equally an important factor to be considered.
Transportation is also an critical component of the urban structure which directly and indirectly relates to building access to critical basic services such as water, sanitation, and any public facility a city would offer to its residents. In many of these cities, however, the pace of population increase by far exceeds that of development and planning.
Addressing these issues of Asian cities and further contributing to the discussions of safe and sustainable transportation were senior editors and distinctive journalists from Asian newspapers. Their voice and views were an important and unique dimension and added value in finding answers and implications for the above questions.
- Date & Time
- 13:00-16:30 December 10, 2007
Venue: Fukuoka International Conference Hall, International ConferenceRoom (5F)
- 13:00
- Opening
- 13:05-13:30
- Introductory Speech
Ms. Anne McDonald
Associate Professor, Miyagi University International Center
- 13:30-16:30
- Panel Discussion
Moderator:Mr. Megumi Kikuchi, Editor, Nishinippon NewspaperCommentators:Mr. Toshi Noda, Director, UN-HABITAT
Mr. Mamoru Taniguchi, Professor, Okayama University
Ms. Anne McDonald, Associate Professor, Miyagi UniversityPanelists:Senior representatives (Editor-in-Chief level) of newspapers from Asian cities
The senior journalists are invited as panelists in a separate public forum schedule later on the same day under a broader context of urban issues including transportation and the environment, and how city linkages and networks can be effective in tackling these issues which are common to many of the growing Asian cities.
The world is experiencing unprecedented levels of urbanization as the majority of people now reside in urban areas. By 2030, three-quarters of the worldﾕs population will be urban, and the largest cities will be found in the developing world. While urbanization has brought tremendous benefits to many cities, it is also coming at a price. Cities in Asia are facing common challenges such as inadequate human settlement and services, urban poverty, waste, air, energy, transportation and etc. We must consider balance between environment and development as well as safety against disasters, crimes and accidents in order to keep our cities and urban life sustainable.
This Conference will discuss the issue of urban transportation. Along with a number of aforementioned urban challenges, transportation is an increasingly important area of concern especially in fast growing cities, as the urban population increase and more people own cars and drive to work. Congestion, accidents, pollution and CO2 emissions are immediate and visible consequences. On a broader and longer-term context, comprehensive urban planning including planning of roads, mass transit systems and impact to the environment needs to be considered. Affordability and mobility of the urban poor and the vulnerable are equally an important factor to be considered.
Transportation is a critical component of the urban structure which directly and indirectly relates to building access to critical basic services such as water, sanitation, and any public facility a city would offer to its residents. In many of these cities, however, the pace of population increase by far exceeds that of development and planning.
The group of experts from the academia and research institutions will look into these issues and will clarify; what are the situations and current issues in Asian cities? What is needed to be done and by whom? What needs to be considered? How can a city be safer and sustainable by improved transportation? What can we learn from Japan and experiences of other countries? Addressing issues of leading Asian cities and further contributing to the discussions will be senior editors and distinctive journalists from Asian newspapers. The voice and views of the media will be an important and unique dimension and added value in finding answers and implications for the above questions.
This Asian City Journalist Conference II is part of the Fukuoka Motor Show, an automobile exposition hosted by the local authorities and private sector in promotion of the automobile industry and sustainable transportation in Fukuoka and the Asia region.
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