Planning and construction of Xiong'an New Area (city of over 5 million people): Contributions of China's geologists and urban geology

Abstract

China established Xiong'an New Area in Hebei Province in 2017, which is planned to accommodate about 5 million people, aiming to relieve Beijing City of the functions non-essential to its role as China's capital and to expedite the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. From 2017 to 2021, the China Geological Survey (CGS) took the lead in multi-factor urban geological surveys involving space, resources, environments, and disasters according to the general requirements of “global vision, international standards, distinctive Chinese features, and future-oriented goals” in Xiong'an New Area, identifying the engineering geologic conditions and geologic environmental challenges of this area. The achievements also include a 3D engineering geological structure model for the whole area, along with “one city proper and five clusters”, insights into the ecology and the background endowment of natural resources like land, geothermal resources, groundwater, and wetland of the area before engineering construction, a comprehensive monitoring network of resources and environments in the area, and the “Transparent Xiong'an” geological information platform that is open, shared, dynamically updated, and three-dimensionally visualized. China's geologists and urban geology have played a significant role in the urban planning and construction of Xiong'an New Area, providing whole-process geological solutions for urban planning, construction, operation and management. The future urban construction of Xiong'an New Area will necessitate the theoretical and technical support of earth system science (ESS) from various aspects, and the purpose is to enhance the resilience of the new type of city and to provide support for the green, low-carbon, and sustainable development of this area.