In this issue, we are attempting to discuss planning system of different Asian cities from a viewpoint of green city design for achieving low carbon city. The principles as well as the design components of “low-carbon planning” have been widely discussed in the world. Urban planning is recognized as an important tool for the low-carbon development of cities. Generally speaking, integrating “low-carbon” concepts into urban planning practices is still in the early stages of an exploratory trial.The studies collected in the special issue serve as good references for pursuing low carbon development in Asian cities although these works need further refinements in many aspects. Global warming is a phenomenon in which the global temperature increases from year to year due to the greenhouse effect caused by increasing economic demand and urban land use. The provision of green space in the city can be one of the planning measures for the realization of more human-urban environment, and capable of functioning ecological and low carbon city.

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Environmentally, sustainable development will increase durability to any changes in the environment. Planning and urban design as a form of physical intervention in urban development should anticipate phenomenon of global warming through design decisions. A balanced development between the physical environment of development and environmental conservation should be done to achieve a healthy urban environment for present and future generations. The balance between green space and developed space with an integrated system of environmental infrastructure will increase the carrying capacity of an urban environment. Green city planning and design is one solution to global warming phenomenon. Green city concept was conceived as an answer that emphasizes aspects of environmental sustainability considerations in solving the urban problems (Murota and Ito, 1996). Green city planning implications in urban planning and design approach is the realization of the overall ecological city (Eco-city). This paper aims to discuss the concept of city planning and design approach that is able to eliminate global warming. Purpose of the discussion in this article was to determine whether the product of city planning has to anticipate problems of global warming became a major issue of urban development. The discussion in this article is the result of a review of the design of Long-Term Development Plan 0f 2005-2025 and Spatial Planning of Surabaya 2009-2029.

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Cities are critical battlefronts in the struggle to mitigate climate change crisis. Urban planning is widely recognized as an important policy and technology tool for the low-carbon development of cities. However, the methods of integrating low-carbon concept into the existing planning system and practices have yet to be studied. More cases are still needed to examine the existing wisdom. By taking the Chinese city of Xiamen as a case study, this study attempts to show a city's efforts to make itself "a low-carbon city in China" in the field of urban planning，to sketch out the general governance framework that make those efforts work, and meanwhile to analyse the problems existing in the process, in the hope of providing some references for those who are concerned about low carbon city development.

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Site greening is one of the nine indicators of green building in Taiwan. In built-up urban areas, buildings have been crowded without spare space for planting. Thus, encouraging residents planting perennial vine is a strategy which allows it to self-cling to the building surface or supporting structure so that the amount of green increases. It can reduce the building wall insolation and heat load thereby adapting indoor temperature, saving energy, purifying air, water, and soil, promoting urban ventilation, and reducing noise, and increase eco-efficiency. Taiwan has constructed neither vertical greening specification conforms to subtropical areas nor localized characteristics. The paper aims at exploring how to promote the application of vertical greening that increases green quantity as well as how to regulate maintenance of it in urban renovation. We believe we are benefited from it, and it helps to implement the ideal eco-city. Through the literature review and foresighted design point of view, the paper first introduces the relationship and development between vertical greening and green building and follows by the vertical green technology which increases green space and creates urban green network. Moreover, analyzing issues requires technology and innovation of vertical greening to apply urban rehabilitation and maintenance. At the end, it concludes: way of arranging plants in groups, natural irrigation, rainwater recycling system, reason why we encourage vertical greening, and need of amending the Special Chapter of Green Building Standard or providing Management and Maintenance Regulation of Vertical Greening.

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Our study targeted representative urban design guidelines to enhance public understanding. In particular, we concentrated on developing a tool for stakeholders to improve their understanding of urban design guidelines determined by related laws and regulations. In this paper, we suggest that Google Earth can not only display a detailed district plan of the urban design guidelines or related documents but can also offer a possible method for stakeholders to experience the planning site from anywhere via the Internet. Stakeholders can refer to other planning projects on Google Earth at the same time. Thus, urban design guidelines can be more intuitive and dramatic to both professional planners and stakeholders.

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