Presentation of the National Report “Urban Development: EXPO-2010 results – view fr om Russia”
On 21 September 2010 N. Mironova and D. Lobodanova represented the Gaidar Institute and the Academy of National Economy under the Government of RF, respectively, on the discussion of the National report “Urban Development: EXPO 2010 results – view from Russia” prepared by Russia’s section working within international exhibition “EXPO 2010” and social project “The Russian House of the Future”.
The report was presented by project leaders – Stats-secretary, deputy Minister of Industry and Trade S.A. Naumov and General director of ZAO “Expert RA” D.E. Grishankov. Representatives from federal and regional authorities, public organizations, and mass media took part in the discussion.
The report embodied materials of “EXPO 2010” exhibition held in Shanghai. The report materials represent rationale of urban changes characteristic of over two hundred countries and a score of major corporations. The report was designed for mayors who aspire to know contemporary trends as well as for authorities and businesses striving to coordinate their activities.
The report really contains many interesting case studies and worthy of ideas aimed at building “clever” Russian cities. The report provides a notion WH ERE to move, and unfortunately, doesn’t make it clear HOW to do it in Russia. It became clear to all the participants that an attempt to implement good ideas such as, development of urban transport and transport infrastructure, enhancement of energy efficiency of urban economy and use of information and communication technologies would reveal eternal problems of meager local budgets and a host of other issues. The report also highlights an important role of foreign national governments in supporting programs of urban infrastructure development which the Russian government so far doesn’t implement.
Authors suggest that readers of the report should themselves implement initiatives highlighted in the report. As the first step in this direction they propose to start implementing the project “International library of best practices in resolving urban problems and urban development” (www.rusdb.ru , from September 2010 – www.urban-practice.com ).
N. Mironova, D. Lobodanova