Contents -- Acknowledgement -- Towards Eco-Cities in East Asia -- Introduction -- From Garden City to Eco-City -- Contributions of This Book -- Towards Urgent and Practical Action -- 1. Eco-Cities: Re-Examining Concepts and Approaches Hidefumi IMURA -- Introduction: Eco-Cities and Sustainable Cities -- The Evolving Concept of the Eco-City -- The Garden City -- Eco-Cities and the Birth of Environmental Policy -- Eco-Cities and the Role of Asian Cities in the Realisation of a Low-Carbon Society -- Urbanisation in Asia and the Potential for Eco-Cities -- Urbanisation and Delayed Infrastructure Development -- Changes in Urban Economies, and Consumption of Resources and Energy -- Environmental Problems Associated with Urbanisation -- The Eco-City - Economic Activity and Consumption of Resources and Energy -- Urban Activities and Resource Circulation -- The External Dependency of Cities -- Ecological Footprint -- Embodied Environmental Load -- Hidden Resource Flows -- Urban Activities: Sustained by Vast Amounts of Resources, Energy, and Environmental Impacts -- The Role of Urban Environmental Infrastructure -- Transportation, Environmental Burden, and Compact Cities -- Promoting Eco-Cities: Concepts and Initiatives in Japan -- Evolving Policy Objectives for the Urban Environment -- Measures to Make the Ecopolis (Eco-City) a Reality -- Turning Industrial Towns into Eco-Cities: Initiatives to Create Circulatory Industrial Systems -- Eco-Cities and Low-Carbon Cities -- Eco-Cities in Asia -- Integration of Concepts: The Low-Carbon Eco-City -- Diverse Initiatives Based on Each City's Uniqueness -- Governance Structures, Citizen Participation -- Integration with Economic Policy -- Conclusion: International Cooperation -- References -- 2. Let's Get Real: Critical Visions and Sustainable Eco-Urbanism William S. W. LIM -- Introduction -- Critical Overview.

Eco-Urbanism -- Conclusion -- References -- 3. Some Thoughts on the Development of Eco-Cities in Asia LYE Liang Fook and CHEN Gang -- Introduction -- Why We Need Eco-cities -- Ideas and Norms of Eco-City Planning -- Translate Eco-City Concepts Into Practice -- Highlights of Selected Eco-Cities -- Masdar Eco-City -- Huangbaiyu ( ) Eco-Village20 -- Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City -- Overview -- Distinctive Features of the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City -- Some Challenges and Problems of Building Eco-Cities -- Some Suggestions for Regional Cooperation -- 4. Building Ecotopia: Critical Reflections on Eco-City Development in China POW Choon-Piew and Harvey NEO -- Introduction -- Environmental Sustainability, Urban Development and Eco-City -- Greening China -- Dongtan and its Ecological Imaginary -- Arup's "Intergrated Urbanism" -- Reflections -- References -- 5. Moving Toward Eco-Friendly City: Perspective on Thailand Rujiroj ANAMBUTR -- Introduction -- Projects and Policies Related to Eco-Cities in Thailand -- Thailand National Environmental Performance Assessment -- EIA and Special Protection Zones Designated by ONEP -- Suffciency Philosophy -- Eco-City Concept in Large Cities in Thailand -- Bangkok and the Global Warming Problem -- Green City Chiang Mai: An International Cooperation Project -- Cabinet Resolution on Action Plan for Sustainable Green Communities -- The "Liveable City" or "Healthy City" -- Environmental Awareness and Education -- Carbon Label on Consumer Products by the Industries, Driven by Global Trend -- Challenges Facing the Move Toward Eco-Friendly City -- Political Instability -- Global Economic Crisis -- Urban Policy and Planning -- Unintegrated Plans for Urban Development -- Lack of Technical Knowledge and Implementation Experiences -- Lessons Learned and Some Thoughts on Future Directions -- True Leadership is Needed.

Decentralisation Works -- Concrete Benefit is the Motivation: Better Education is Needed -- Economic Crisis Can Be an Opportunity -- Better Integration is Urgently Needed -- From Policy to Implementation to Enforcement, More Knowledge is Needed -- References -- 6. Challenges to Implementing the Eco-City Concept in Indonesia's Major Cities Suraya A. AFIFF -- Introduction -- A Brief Review on Urban Environmental Discourse -- The Current Debates about Open Green Space in Indonesia -- The Politics of Urban Spatial Planning -- Political Participation -- Whose Knowledge and Whose "Nature" Counts? -- Conclusion -- References -- 7. Eco-City: China's Realities and Challenges in Urban Planning and Design WANG Tao and SHAO Lei -- Background -- Understanding Related Actions and Programmes in China -- MOHURD: Ecological Garden City1 -- SEPA: Exemplary City in Environment Protection2 -- Related Policies and Standards -- MOHURD: Liveable City Standards3 -- SPDC: National Development Priority Zoning Plan4 -- Main Characters of Existing National Programmes -- Local Practices: Two Cases -- Case 1. Xianlin New Town, Nanjing -- Case 2. Daming Palace Area Redevelopment, Xi'an -- Strategies and Objectives in Hierarchical Planning System -- Master Plan and District Plan -- Control Plan -- Urban Design -- Special Planning Activities - BRT, Underground System, and New Town -- Acknowledgements -- References -- 8. Sustainable Living: An Overview from the Malaysian Perspective Hardev KAUR and Mizan HITAM -- Introduction -- The Policy and Institutional Framework -- Funding -- Donor Activities -- Environmental Expenditure -- Sustainable Development Initiatives -- Local Agenda 21 - A Community Programme for Sustainable Development -- Putrajaya - Model City for Sustainable Development -- Implementation of Putrajaya Wetlands.

Low-Carbon Cities - The Case of the Iskandar Development Region -- Energy Efficient Building and Sustainable Neighbourhood Design -- Sustainable Land-Use and Transportation -- Natural and Green Environment -- Challenges in Achieving Sustainable Development -- Complex Federal-State Relationship -- Integration in Theory and Practice -- Lack of a Coherent Institutional Framework -- Lack of Community Participation in Sustainable Development Programmes -- The Role of Normative Change -- Lack of Effective Environmental Planning -- Conclusion -- References -- 9. Prospects on Ecological Development in Philippine Cities Marife M. BALLESTEROS -- Introduction -- Philippine Agenda on Sustainable Development -- Integration of Environmental Considerations in Decision-Making -- Proper Pricing of Natural Resources -- Property Rights Reform -- Establishment of an Integrated Protected Areas System -- Rehabilitation of Degraded Eco-systems -- Strengthening of Residuals Management in Industry (Pollution Control) -- Integration of Population Concerns and Social Welfare in Development Planning -- Inducing Growth in the Rural Areas -- Promotion of Environmental Education -- Strengthening of Citizens' Participation and Constituency Building -- The Philippine Urban Eco-system -- Significant Projects for Ecological Cities -- River Revival Project -- Air Pollution Control Project -- Solid Waste Management Project -- Quezon City Central Business District (QC-CBD) Project9 -- Challenges to Ecological Initiatives: QC-CBD Experience -- Property Rights Constraints -- Informal Settlements -- Governance Structure -- Conclusions -- References -- Biographies of Authors -- Index.