The establishment of Academic Consortium for sustainable cities
From different perspectives, "cities" hold the key for the sustainability of world society, currently, half of the world population lives in cities, consumes 75% of the worldfs energy, and produces 75% of greenhouse gases, becoming the cause of global environmental problems. Also, due to the population shift from rural to urban areas, particularly the enlargement of slums in cities,etc., the spread of poverty and sanitation problems are worsening, especially in developing countries. In addition,the urban landscape, city amenities, environmental and pollution problems that need to be solved.
Therefore, universities located in urban areas are requested to fill a new role.Universities with intellectual resources, by cooperating with city governments, NGOs, NPOs, and international organizations, should solve problems faced by their city. Moreover,universities are poised to contribute to the accomplishment of the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) established by the United Nations in the year 2000,and in the process, build an organic relationship with city govenments and citizens, open their region to the world,and be reborn as universities that contribute to both their region and the world.
Yokohama City University, by having this kind of problem awareness, established an Academic Consortium in September 2009. (Academic Consorium for the Development of Sustainable Cities, hereinafter referred to as "the Consortium")