Sustainable Shanghai Expo doesn't need Olympic glitz

• Source: Global Times
• [20:53 April 26 2010]
• Comments

But an independent study of the Dutch pavilion there, which cost 35 million euros ($46.83 million) to build, found that it brought back about 350 million euros in potential revenues for the Dutch economy.

In Shanghai, details remain unclear what will happen to the thousands of tons of steel and other material used for the temporary structures after they are decommissioned at the end of the event.

The people of Shanghai are benefiting from the Expo even before it begins. In preparation for the event, Shanghai has received a complete makeover. Rundown offices and residential buildings are shining under new colors. This all contributes to its character as China's foremost global metropolis.

There are more benefits for all the residents, rich and poor, and not only the visitors. The city has got new airport facilities, subway lines, roads, tunnels and bridges that will benefit everyone for years to come.

Much will be different at the Shanghai 2010 Expo from the first Expo held in London in 1851. Visitors here will be unlikely to find new technologies, such as the TV, that were introduced to the world at fairs decades ago.

However, what visitors will be able to find is a wealth of information on sustainable urban living and heritage preservation. These are the issues that matter in the world as we know it now. It's this legacy that will truly sell the Expo, not superficial glamor.

The author is a European national living in London and a student of London School of Economics. forum@globaltimes.com.cn