Category: urban policies

The blame game underway for Delhi’s air pollution crisis

Every week we are hearing about the serious air pollution facing cities on all continents. Already this year we have had major alerts in Paris and London, in major Chinese cities and Delhi and other Indian cities. Indian capital’s toxic air is by some measures the world’s dirtiest, writes Amy Kazmin in the Financial Times, … Continue reading The blame game underway for Delhi’s air pollution crisis →

Los Angeles promoting energy efficiency in buildings

Linda Hardesty writes on the Energymanagertoday website about the new sustainable city plan that has been published in Los Angeles and the importance the plan is giving to energy efficiency in buildings.   Los Angeles - LA Sets Building Energy Efficiency Goal Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti unveiled the Los Angeles Sustainable City Plan, a … Continue reading Los Angeles promoting energy efficiency in buildings →

New report on the key to reducing cities’ emissions

A report released by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) finds that transitioning to modern district energy systems could reduce primary energy consumption by up to 50%. The resulting emission reductions could amount to 60% of those required of the energy sector by 2050 to keep average temperature rise below 2°C, according to the report, titled … Continue reading New report on the key to reducing cities’ emissions →

The urban environmental paradox

This blog by Emily Badger in the Washington Post discusses compact metro areas and the environmental benefits that are achieved. It is well worth the read.   The impressive environmental bonus of crowded city living Cities present a kind of environmental paradox. The construction of all our roads, housing and office towers requires a lot … Continue reading The urban environmental paradox →

New study on cities shows way forward to make urbanisation more efficient

Mark Kinver writes on the BBC website about a recent study on the role cities can play in addressing climate change.   Low-energy urbanisation 'can help climate goals' A study of 274 cities has helped shed light on energy consumption in urban areas and what can be done to make future urbanisation more efficient. Globally, … Continue reading New study on cities shows way forward to make urbanisation more efficient →

Looking to Denmark to inspire China’s ‘war on pollution’

Christian Oliver writes an excellent analysis in the Financial Times about the lessons China is learning from Denmark about addressing urban air pollution. There are lessons for more than China.   The urban environment: Clean-up time Before China’s leaders declared their “war on pollution” in March, they had already recruited help from abroad. The northern … Continue reading Looking to Denmark to inspire China’s ‘war on pollution’ →

Showing urban leadership – part 2

Continuing on an urban theme, there was a recent survey of 300 cities on energy efficiency and technologies that provides very interesting evidence on investments in energy-efficient technologies.  This article comes from the Buildings.com website. Separately, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has a new role as U.N. envoy on cities and climate change. … Continue reading Showing urban leadership – part 2 →

Showing urban leadership – part 1

Many US cities are working very closely together to increase the energy performance of large buildings.  Sarah Kollmorgen writes on Northwestern University’s Madill Reports website about the City Energy Project that includes Chicago from where she is writing from.   10 cities, one energy-efficient goal Chicago is one of 10 cities that have joined the … Continue reading Showing urban leadership – part 1 →

Impact of air pollution in the UK

John Vidal writes in the Guardian about air quality in UK cities, although primarily London, and what it is doing to health. One monitoring station in London shows the fourth highest levels of NO2 of over 2,000 monitoring stations in Europe. Cities are missing targets set under EU laws, but questions arise as to who … Continue reading Impact of air pollution in the UK →