According to the McKinsey Global Institute's report, "Preparing for China's urban billion," 350 million people will have joined the ranks of China's urban population by the year 2025 and the total urban population will reach one billion by 2030. Such dramatic change portends serious consequences not only to the People's Republic, but also to the rest of the world. In October of 2010, the Salzburg Global Seminar will take a group of Fellows and friends of the Seminar to China on a study tour to explore the ways in which Chinese cities are dealing with this rapid increase in urban population and what lessons the rest of the world can take from their example.

On this study tour, the first of its kind of the Salzburg Global Seminar, participants will examine the challenges China faces in creating sustainable urban environments in the face of ever-increasing demands for water and power, rising levels of private and industrial waste, and a recent boom in automobile ownership. We'll also look at efforts to protect quality of life as urban density levels increase, migrants from rural areas adapt to new lifestyles, and cultural heritage is confronted with the high demand for space. And finally, throughout the route, travellers will learn from the host of innovations in urban planning and design that China is implementing to insure its urbanized future.

* the combined alumni of Salzburg Global Seminar and Fellows of the 21st Century Trust

Fee & Program Information:

This tour of China will take participants to four locations, Beijing, Inner Monglogia, Dalian, and Shanghai in exploring the event's theme. The fee per person (in twin rooms) is 1900 Euro. A surcharge of 400 Euro is applied for those requesting a single room. Additional details about the trip's itinerary and booking details can be found in our preliminary program, and questions or requests about reserving your space may be sent to Ian Brown (ibrown(at)SalzburgGlobal.org).