Chinese cities sign up to low-carbon programme

Two cities in China - Shanghai and Baoding - are taking part in a new initiative from the WWF to promote low-carbon urban development in the country, it has emerged.

According to Green Building Press, China's Low Carbon City Initiative is to focus on a number of ways energy-efficient improvements can be made to the country's urban areas, including developments in renewable energy and increasing the eco-friendliness of buildings.

"Shanghai and Baoding are WWF's pilot projects to show how all Chinese cities can have a green energy future," said Dr Li Ling, head of conservation strategies at WWF China.

She added that many cities in the country are challenged by low energy efficiency, as well as "degraded environmental quality".

The city of Shanghai is currently working on a number of changes, with the city's municipal governments aiming to build it into a "modern metropolis" by 2020, according to their website.