Liverpool looks to the future as Shanghai EXPO ends
Oct 15 2010by Merseyside News, Liverpool Daily Post
LIVERPOOL is laying long term plans to tackle the challenges of becoming a low carbon city, regeneration chief Max Steinberg told an international conference in China today.
Mr Steinberg, chief executive of Liverpool Vision, the organisation spearheading the city's involvement in the World Expo in Shanghai, told an urban regeneration forum: "Nothing short of a completely new model for the development of sustainable cities is required."
Mr Steinberg and council leader Joe Anderson gave keynote speeches at the forum, which reflected on the regeneration of the twin cities of Shanghai and Liverpool, the parallels between them and the lessons to be learned from each other's challenges.
"We have already achieved much in a short time, but we know we can make even more progress," said Mr Steinberg.
"Low carbon cities of the future will demand even more creativity from politicians and professionals, even more collective action globally, nationally and locally."
He said it was difficult for politicians to be risk takers.
"Public leadership is generally short term, and there is no reward for long-term decision-making," he added. "But in Liverpool we are thinking long-term - long term regeneration, long term improvement for our communities, long term commitment to playing our part in the UK's and world's future.
"We are going to have to find new ways to plan, build and govern our city. We must reduce our impact on the environment and increase our residents' quality of life."
He said that, far from being a threat to competitiveness, this was the key to Liverpool's future ability to compete in a world in which the sustainable use of resources and environmental technologies would become increasingly important.
Cllr Anderson told the conference that Liverpool and Shanghai faced many similar challenges in terms of regeneration, and of the importance of protecting the cities' heritage as they develop.
He thanked the city of Shanghai for the opportunity to take part in the World Expo, adding: "We cannot yet calculate the economic value of our place at World Expo, but we already know that relationships forged in Shanghai will continue to pay dividends in the future.
"And our international drive does not end with the close of the event. I am determined that there will be a lasting legacy – long after our Pavilion has shut its doors. "Both Liverpool and Shanghai are cities with a great past – but we share an even bigger future."
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