97
inclusion , or listening and using all available skills and ideas; decision , or defi ning
and pursuing an action agenda; dispatch (action), or doing things now rather than
later; standard setting , or formulating the defi nition of success; and humanity , or
using empathy and humor in dealing with others [ 10 ].
This chapter will mainly discuss how the students identifi ed a problem and selected
a study area for group work during the fi eld exercise provided to practice and build
their leadership. The fi nal outcome presented “Sustainable urban development toward
Green City: the Greater Pearl River Delta (GPRD), China.” in Year 2012 was chosen
to describe the challenges during the fi eldwork and to refl ect the feedback.
6.3.1 Program Outline
Over the last 4 years, APIEL has built broad, resonant networks among universities
in Asia. The ties with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
(HKUST) and Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) grew especially strong by conducting a fi eld exercise called the GRPD Unit over three consecutive years. During the
fi rst year of the program (2010), using case studies, we covered environmental
issues and the need for environmental leaders in Asia. Broad discussion topics
included the environment, the need for environmental leaders, leadership examples
in Asia, as well as a sustainable environment and management in the GPRD.
Then, over the next 2 years, the program focused on sustainable urban development in the GPRD. To start, sustainable urban relocation and regeneration of industrial regions in the GPRD were discussed. Since the GPRD is one of the leading
economic regions in southern China and a major manufacturing center—combined
with the booming economy and Western infl uences from Hong Kong—it has created
an economic gateway attracting foreign capital into mainland China. In this regard,
several topics were chosen for students to discuss, and in doing so, build their leadership skills. These topics included trans-boundary issues and collaborative programs to
tackle regional air pollution (in turn, to cope with climate change), urban regeneration,
and industry relocation for sustainable development in the GPRD.
In the third year, we reviewed the approaches that have been used for the
GPRD’s urban development, and related environmental loading over the last three
decades. An overview of the approaches used in guiding the GPRD’s urban development were studied and discussed. In addition, related environmental loading for
the past three decades was studied through a lecture and a fi eld trip during the unit.
In March 2008, Sir Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, the chief executive of Hong Kong,
proposed to the Guangdong party secretary, Wang Yang, that the two territories
should jointly form a “Quality Living Circle in the Green Greater Pearl River
Delta.” The guiding principles would be promoting environmental protection and
sustainable development. Table 6.1 summarizes the outline of the fi eld exercise
conducted in Year 2012. Students examined GPRD’s urban development, including urban formation, industry relocation, economic development, social equity,
and biodiversity conservation.
6 Environmental Leadership Development Based on Activity Theory…
inclusion , or listening and using all available skills and ideas; decision , or defi ning
and pursuing an action agenda; dispatch (action), or doing things now rather than
later; standard setting , or formulating the defi nition of success; and humanity , or
using empathy and humor in dealing with others [ 10 ].
This chapter will mainly discuss how the students identifi ed a problem and selected
a study area for group work during the fi eld exercise provided to practice and build
their leadership. The fi nal outcome presented “Sustainable urban development toward
Green City: the Greater Pearl River Delta (GPRD), China.” in Year 2012 was chosen
to describe the challenges during the fi eldwork and to refl ect the feedback.
6.3.1 Program Outline
Over the last 4 years, APIEL has built broad, resonant networks among universities
in Asia. The ties with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
(HKUST) and Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) grew especially strong by conducting a fi eld exercise called the GRPD Unit over three consecutive years. During the
fi rst year of the program (2010), using case studies, we covered environmental
issues and the need for environmental leaders in Asia. Broad discussion topics
included the environment, the need for environmental leaders, leadership examples
in Asia, as well as a sustainable environment and management in the GPRD.
Then, over the next 2 years, the program focused on sustainable urban development in the GPRD. To start, sustainable urban relocation and regeneration of industrial regions in the GPRD were discussed. Since the GPRD is one of the leading
economic regions in southern China and a major manufacturing center—combined
with the booming economy and Western infl uences from Hong Kong—it has created
an economic gateway attracting foreign capital into mainland China. In this regard,
several topics were chosen for students to discuss, and in doing so, build their leadership skills. These topics included trans-boundary issues and collaborative programs to
tackle regional air pollution (in turn, to cope with climate change), urban regeneration,
and industry relocation for sustainable development in the GPRD.
In the third year, we reviewed the approaches that have been used for the
GPRD’s urban development, and related environmental loading over the last three
decades. An overview of the approaches used in guiding the GPRD’s urban development were studied and discussed. In addition, related environmental loading for
the past three decades was studied through a lecture and a fi eld trip during the unit.
In March 2008, Sir Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, the chief executive of Hong Kong,
proposed to the Guangdong party secretary, Wang Yang, that the two territories
should jointly form a “Quality Living Circle in the Green Greater Pearl River
Delta.” The guiding principles would be promoting environmental protection and
sustainable development. Table 6.1 summarizes the outline of the fi eld exercise
conducted in Year 2012. Students examined GPRD’s urban development, including urban formation, industry relocation, economic development, social equity,
and biodiversity conservation.
6 Environmental Leadership Development Based on Activity Theory…