As adapting to the fast changing ecological and social environment of the world becomes more urgent, global city leaders gathered in Hangzhou to talk about green transitions and urban governance. CGTN, together with the Zhejiang Provincial Government and the Hangzhou Municipal Government, invited mayors and city managers from Hangzhou, West Greece Region, Venice of Italy, Cape Town of South Africa, Kota Kinabalu of Malaysia and Dushanbe of Tajikistan to join the first Global Mayors Dialogue. From the surge in electric vehicles and their energy fuel, to the need for global cooperation in fixing a power crisis, mayors shared their cities’ unique challenges and their paths forward in the green transformation.
Urban governance came top of the agenda on the mayors’ discussion list. When talking about traffic congestion, the common headache for nearly all modern cities, the mayor of Hangzhou Yao Gaoyuan explained his city’s smart green wave system, which helps to relieve traffic jams by sensing real-time traffic flows and performing instant calculations. To better serve citizens with EVs, Deputy Mayor of Dushanbe Kholmukhamadzoda Sorboni Amirkhoni said that he was still working with his Hangzhou counterpart on finding optimal solutions on the deployment of EV charger devices. Venice’s Mayor Representative Laura Fincato gathered very practical advice from other mayors on how to deal with overwhelming numbers of tourists, and how to make good use of local resources to help even out the crowds.
Development is the goal that world cities pursue, and making it sustainable is ever more crucial. Hangzhou, the host city of the dialogue in Zhejiang Province, east China, is known as “paradise city” because of its stunning landscapes and rich cultural heritage. In recent times, it has also emerged as a leader in digital innovation and sustainable development. Mayor Yao Gaoyuan mentioned the story of Qiandao Lake to advocate the importance of finding a delicate balance between economic growth and environmental protection, and to keep harmony between humanity and nature. The Governor of Western Greece Nektarios Farmakis echoed the point and said, “The challenges today are the protection of natural resources, and the fight against climate change. Through cooperation of the local authorities, of the national authorities, and international cooperation, we can overcome these problems.”
After a long and deep discussion, the dialogue ended with global mayors sipping and tasting Hangzhou’s famous Longjing tea. Making friends over tea is rooted in the culture of China and many other countries. Global mayors are already looking forward to future dialogues that will bring insights and inspirations for urban development.