"Serve as Eyes and Ears for the City, Combine Wisdom and the Mind of the City, and Highlight the Soul of the City" is the principles of the URMI, established officially in November 2016. Recently, entrusted by the Development Research Center of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government (SMPGDRC), the URMI undertook a research subject, Study on Risk Points in Shanghai Urban Construction and Operation, and Early Warning Prevention and Control Measures, and opened the prelude for carrying out the research on cutting-edge subject. The URMI is committed to giving advice and suggestions to the urban development in Shanghai.
Response to the needs of the times and the requirements of the government
Urbanization is one of the biggest changing trends of mankind in the 21st century. Our country has experienced the fastest process for urbanization in human history, and the urban risk is in the middle of iteration, derivation and explosion. The new target for the development of Shanghai by the year 2040 stipulated in Shanghai Urban Master Plan is to build Shanghai into an outstanding global city and a cultural metropolis, as well as an international economic, financial, trade, shipping and technical innovation center. The safe operation of the city is the prerequisite and basis for achieving development goals.
Mr. Han Zheng, Secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee, emphasized that “in order to make every effort to ensure urban operation safety, production safety and public safety, the key is to eliminate hidden dangers and focus on implementing responsibility to ensure social harmony and stability.” And Mr. Yang Xiong, Mayor of Shanghai, stressed that “urban safety is the basis for reform and development, which is the greatest livelihood of the people. Everything is out of the question without safety.” It is thus clear that the safe operation of the city is one of the most important issues of the government.
Innovative ideas to deal with the real problems
Currently, the urban development in Shanghai is facing with multiple constraints in respect to the population, land, environment and safety. It must be highly aware that various risks in urban operation tend to be aggregated, superimposed and aggravated.
The urban development in China has its particularity, and no international practices can be followed. The study on risk management in line with the urban construction and operating characteristics of Shanghai must be implemented. The study on risk points is essential for carrying out risk management, while the study on prevention and control measures for early warning is an important guarantee for implementing risk management.
Definite target and specific tasks
The research target for this subject is defined to establish a directory of risk points in Shanghai urban construction and operation, and to propose a risk early warning, prevention and control mechanism for Shanghai urban construction and operation. It will play an important leading role in the systematic construction of risk management system and the implementation of targeted risk management and control measures in Shanghai in the future.
In order to achieve these two targets, the subject will be studied on the following three aspects:
1. Based on the analysis of the current situation in Shanghai urban construction and operation, the risk points are identified and classified from the aspects of engineering technology, management system, natural conditions and social environment. The risk points are graded according to the analysis of risk impact.
2. Based on classified risk points and the analysis of the role of government, industry and society, each party’s tasks for the risk early warning, prevention and control in Shanghai urban construction and operation are studied.
3. Measures for risks early warning, prevention and control should be studied from the aspects of technical means, management system and operation mechanism for different types and different levels of risk points.
Focus on the subject and prospect for the platform
Urban risk management is a landmark project, and it has fully embodied the concept of innovation and development for the systematic engineering. This task is arduous and challenging. The research subject will not only lay a solid foundation for Shanghai fully entering the era of urban risk management, but also give the direction for carrying out the urban risk management in Shanghai.
On November 17, 2016, the “2016 International Forum on Urban Risk Management” was organized and hosted by Tongji University and the URMI, respectively with other organizations. It has created a good start for the URMI to play its service role as a high-end think tank and communication platform in the industry. The URMI will keep on striving to develop the role of this platform while earnestly completing the research subject.
The research results of the project can be offered to all administrative districts and related departments in Shanghai to solve the difficulties and pain points which they are encountered in the urban construction and operation. Likewise, it can create ways for the administrative districts and related departments to further carry out intensive studies on specific issues. Therefore, it can give full play to the practical significance of the research results, so that the development of this research subject will have a far-reaching significance to the Shanghai municipal government in creating innovative ideas for risk management to improve the sustainability of urban construction and operation.