Ellen van Bueren: Why Asian cities need to include their people in urban planning

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The Macao International Environmental Co-operation Forum & Exhibition (MIECF) hosted by the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China has ‘Shaping of Eco-cities for Inclusive Green Economy’ as this year’s theme. Asia is undergoing an urban expansion as its cities grow in both population and economic clout; but as policymakers implement solutions to manage this growth, they must be careful to avoid taking a purely technocratic approach and focus on the needs of citizens as well. This was the advice of urban development professor Ellen van Bueren to the region that is experiencing the world’s fastest urban growth.