Promotional Information

Hong Kong and Los Angeles cannot be more different. The former is an example of extreme density living while the latter is one of urban sprawl. However, they can learn much from each other. This useful book provides histories, contexts, and solutions for cities and regions to make more sustainable choices -- an urgent task for all as the world faces challenges in improving livability and fighting climate change. -- Christine Loh, Under Secretary for the Environment, HKSAR Government (2012-2017) Global Cities is a richly detailed exploration of the ways environmental policy and urban planning often fail (with occasional exceptions) to work together, to the detriment of cities and the people who live in them. It is a unique and valuable reference for any serious lover of urban history, as well as a likely textbook for environmental planners. -- Mary Nichols, Chair, California Air Resources Board The book's strength is the story it tells, weaving arguments about two great cities with different regulations and practices. -- Peter Brimblecombe, Associate Dean and Chair Professor of Environmental Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong; author of The Big Smoke

About the Author

Robert Gottlieb is Emeritus Professor of Urban & Environmental Policy and founder and former Director of the Urban and Environmental Policy Institute at Occidental College. He is the author of Reinventing Los Angeles: Nature and Community in the Global City (MIT Press) and other books. Simon Ng is an independent consultant and former Chief Research Officer at Civic Exchange, a public policy think tank in Hong Kong.