In praise of Paris’ climate and energy transition

Jimmy Thomson, Editor-In-Chief of Canada’s National Observer, was obviously in Paris recently and impressed with how the city has transitioned to improve its sustainability. The city’s efforts to transform its downtown into an active-transportation Mecca had attracted me on a pilgrimage across the world to see what it looks and feels like. You can tell … Continue reading In praise of Paris’ climate and energy transition

AI is quietly transforming how cities generate, store and distribute energy, acting as the invisible conductor that orchestrates cleaner, smarter and more resilient cities

Mohammadamin Ahmadfard, Postdoctoral Fellow, Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University, writes on The Conversation website about the value of AI to make cities more sustainable   AI applications are producing cleaner cities, smarter homes and more efficient transit Artificial intelligence (AI) is quietly transforming how cities generate, store and distribute energy, acting as the … Continue reading AI is quietly transforming how cities generate, store and distribute energy, acting as the invisible conductor that orchestrates cleaner, smarter and more resilient cities

Cycling can have real impact in our race to zero emissions

According to Christian Brand, Associate Professor in Transport, Energy & Environment, Transport Studies Unit, University of Oxford, in an article on The Conversation website, focusing solely on electric vehicles is slowing down the race to zero emissions. In new research, colleagues and I reveal that people who walk or cycle have lower carbon footprints from … Continue reading Cycling can have real impact in our race to zero emissions

Los Angeles is promising a “car-free” Summer Games for 2028 Olympics

The car remains king in LA, despite growing public transit options. Los Angeles is a city where the car remains king. It dismantled its public transport system after World War II. Jay L. Zagorsky, Associate Professor of Markets, Public Policy and Law, at Boston University, in an article on The Conversation website discusses the challenges … Continue reading Los Angeles is promising a “car-free” Summer Games for 2028 Olympics

Edinburgh just made it illegal to advertise SUVs

Maxine Perella writes on the Sustainable Brands website about Edinburgh’s recent ban on ads for fossil fuels and other high-carbon products. This ban exemplifies a desire to shift those ad spaces toward cleaner, more viable alternatives and ads that promote low-carbon behaviours.   Latest Ban on ‘High-Carbon’ Ads Shows Appetite for Clean-Energy Transition UN Secretary … Continue reading Edinburgh just made it illegal to advertise SUVs

Paris to hold vote on whether SUVs should pay more for parking

The vote, to be held next February 4th, will be the second city-wide referendum on urban matters, after residents in April voted to ban rental e-scooters from the capital. An AFP news item on the Le Monde website discusses the upcoming referendum.   Paris will have residents vote on increasing parking fees for heavy SUVs … Continue reading Paris to hold vote on whether SUVs should pay more for parking

The demand for electric tuk-tuks is growing in Thailand

Thailand suffers from serious air pollution problems in its big cities like Bangkok. Mobility is dominated by cars and there are efforts to increase the number of electric vehicles. In cities tuk-tuks play a major role and traditional ones are highly polluting. Now, as Rebecca Root explains in an article on The Guardian website, electric … Continue reading The demand for electric tuk-tuks is growing in Thailand

New EU mobility patterns study: insights into passenger mobility and urban logistics

The European Commission recently published the results of a broad study on new mobility patterns, unveiling the mobility choices of citizens across the EU, and how the urban logistics sector is developing in 16 cities. Key findings The EU-wide survey on passenger mobility showed that, on average, EU citizens travelled 27 km per day, for … Continue reading New EU mobility patterns study: insights into passenger mobility and urban logistics

India’s energy transition: there are now roughly 1.75 million e-rickshaws

The country’s electric push is fuelled by sales of two- and three-wheelers. Salimah Shivji discusses the trend to both e-rickshaws and electric vehicles in an article on the CBC News website.   How India's electric rickshaw revolution is forging a low-carbon future A faded battery-powered rickshaw weaves in and out of traffic in New Delhi's … Continue reading India’s energy transition: there are now roughly 1.75 million e-rickshaws

Have you switched to an electric bike or have you remained with a conventional one?

Sandrine Cabut discusses on the Le Monde website about the benefits from electric or conventional bikes. According to a German study, conventional cyclists spend more time in the saddle and practice at a higher intensity than users of electric-assist models. What are your views?   Electric or conventional bicycle: What is best for our health? … Continue reading Have you switched to an electric bike or have you remained with a conventional one?