This report proposes a system of quality of life indicators and identifies policy options to advance sustainability in the Pearl River Delta, a region of Guangdong Province in southeastern China. The report focuses on land use and transportation goals and strategies, with additional analysis of policies related to the environment, housing, and economic development.

Quality of Life Indicators and Policy Strategies to Advance Sustainability in the Pearl River Delta

Debra Knopman, Johanna Zmud, Liisa Ecola, Zhimin Mao, Keith Crane

ResearchPublished Nov 6, 2015

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This report proposes a set of land use and transportation goals and strategies and an accompanying system of indicators to characterize and monitor quality of life in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) of Guangdong Province in the People's Republic of China. Goals, strategies, and indicators are also developed in less detail for the environment, housing, and economic development policy areas. The purpose of the indicator system is to provide an analytical foundation for guiding policy choices that strike a balance between meeting residents' needs and at the same time attracting new employers and employees to the region. The indicator system is designed to be flexible enough to work at the provincial, municipal, and district/county levels of government. Indicators are placed within a decision framework that first defines regional challenges, policy goals to meet those challenges, and strategies to address policy goals. The report identifies 12 challenges and proposes 21 goals and 53 strategies to address the challenges, as well as a set of 85 indicators to monitor progress. The authors prioritize strategies based on their likely impact on progress toward goals, degree of difficulty, and time required to put the strategy in place.

Implementation of the indicator system will require several years and periodic updating after that to keep it fresh and relevant to Guangdong's needs. Although strategies will be implemented at the provincial and local levels by multiple agencies, central oversight and maintenance of the indicator system will be crucial to its success. RAND recommends a cross-agency and cross-government council approach with a single agency lead.

Key Takeaways

Challenges for Improving Quality of Life in the Pearl River Delta (PRD)

  • Unplanned outward expansion of urban boundaries has led to fragmentation of both urban and rural land.
  • Urban land is not utilized in a way that allows for efficient provision of public services and facilities.
  • Historic and cultural preservation has been neglected.
  • Current development patterns and processes do not adequately address the need for resilience from natural disasters.
  • Without high-quality public transit alternatives, vehicle kilometers traveled in privately owned cars per capita will increase and congestion and air pollution will worsen.
  • Road-based freight transport is a major source of congestion and safety problems.
  • An extremely high number of deaths and serious injuries are caused by everyday use of the roads.
  • Water and air pollution and soil contamination are causing significant harm to human health and ecological resources, and diminishing economic growth.
  • Regulators have insufficient resources and incentives to enforce laws and standards.
  • There is a lack of good-quality public rental housing and housing for purchase by middle-income residents.
  • There is a lack of good-quality public rental housing for lower-income residents.
  • Guangdong Province seeks to accelerate its economic transition.

Common Themes in Strategies to Address These Challenges

  • In general, the proposed strategies would increase compliance with regulations by improving the effectiveness of incentives; expand access to public services and quality improvements; increase the pace of improvements in public services and the environment; improve data and analysis to better guide decisionmaking; and reduce pollution and improve health and safety.
  • In all areas, but particularly in land use, environment, and housing, there is an overarching need to increase transparency and accountability in regulation.

Recommendations

  • Implementation of the indicator system should be staged over several years as strategies are initiated and data collected. After implementation, the system should be periodically updated to keep it fresh and relevant to Guangdong's needs.
  • Certain strategies should be implemented earlier than others, based on their likely impact on progress toward goals, degree of difficulty, and time required to put the strategy in place.
  • Although strategies will be implemented at the provincial and local levels by multiple agencies, central oversight and maintenance of the indicator system will be crucial to its success. RAND recommends a cross-agency and cross-government council approach with a single agency lead.

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Knopman, Debra, Johanna Zmud, Liisa Ecola, Zhimin Mao, and Keith Crane, Quality of Life Indicators and Policy Strategies to Advance Sustainability in the Pearl River Delta. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2015. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR871.html.
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The research reported here was conducted in the Environment, Energy, and Economic Development Program, a part of RAND Justice, Infrastructure, and Environment.

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