On January 29, 2016, NRDC released the 2015 Walkability Evaluation Report at a press release that included attendees from the government, urban planning think tanks, environmental NGOs, and the media. The report evaluated and ranked 17 Chinese cities' on the quality of their urban environment for pedestrians. NRDC evaluated the cities along four dimensions: safety, comfort, convenience, and policy, with a total of nine indicators. The results show that eight of the evaluated cities are "walkable" (Zhuzhou, Fuzhou, Changde, Changsha, Guiyang, Sanya, Nanping, and Cangzhou), eight cities are "moderately walkable" (Hefei, Yinchuan, Zhenzhou, Lanzhou, Shijiazhuang, Hohhot, Taiyuan, and Urumqi), and one city is "not walkable" (Lhasa). The report also examined domestic and international case studies, illustrating policies and non-motorized transportation projects that helped to improve city walkability in Beijing, Cangzhou, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Zhuhou, and New York. Experts from the National Development and Reform Commission and Beijing University of Technology praised the report, describing NRDC's walkability research as detailed, strategic, and vital to sustainable urban development. Representatives from Beijing, Cangzhou, and several NGOs participated in the expert panel at the press release. Urban walkability plays a vital role in the development of non-motorized transport and climate change mitigation. The report and subsequent discussion helped inform policymakers, persuading them to move away from car-dependent urbanization and to instead embark on a low-carbon, pedestrian-friendly path of urban development.