Paris embraces the ’15-minute city’ concept

Helena Horton writes on the Guardian website about the urbanist Carlos Moreno on how his concept is transforming French life and what is hindering change across the Channel in the UK. Why has the ‘15-minute city’ taken off in Paris but become a toxic idea in UK? The “15-minute city” has become a toxic … Continue reading Paris embraces the ’15-minute city’ concept →

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 →

Energy in Demand News, October 22nd, 2023

We are now about two months away from COP28 in Dubai. All of us are anxious that real progress is made because the signs of climate crisis are growing and there definitely is a need to ramp up ambition and action. We were discouraged this week when EU member states this week adopted a common … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, October 22nd, 2023 →

Germany is famed as a world leader in recycling – and Kiel “has some of the most weird and workable plans in the country to deal with its trash”

When it comes to recycling, Kiel has pulled ahead of the crowd, with its ban on single-use items, plans for leftover meals and innovative ideas for discarded human hair. In an article on the Guardian website, Ajit Niranjan discusses the lessons we can all learn from what is happening in Kiel. The zero-waste city: … Continue reading Germany is famed as a world leader in recycling – and Kiel “has some of the most weird and workable plans in the country to deal with its trash” →

Paris 50 degrees: a full-scale exercise in the 13th and 19th arrondissements

On October 13, 2023, the capital staged a full-scale crisis exercise to deal with the future heatwaves that await us. "Paris 50°": this is the name of the crisis exercise that the capital launched. Faced with global warming and heatwaves that are likely to multiply and intensify in the coming years, the City of Paris … Continue reading Paris 50 degrees: a full-scale exercise in the 13th and 19th arrondissements →

One year out from the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic and Paralympic games, the clean-up of the Seine shows there is public interest in clean, swimmable waterways for our health, wellbeing and pleasure

Gary Osmond from The University of Queensland and Rebecca Olive from RMIT University write on The Conversation website discuss the plans to use the River Seine for Olympic swimming and how important this initiative is for our environmental wellbeing. Olympic swimming in the Seine highlights efforts to clean up city rivers worldwide One year … Continue reading One year out from the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic and Paralympic games, the clean-up of the Seine shows there is public interest in clean, swimmable waterways for our health, wellbeing and pleasure →

For Europe’s mayors it’s the Green Deal or bust, and it’s time everyone put their cards on the table

Burkhard Jung, president of Eurocities and mayor of Leipzig, Germany, in an article on the Politico website, explains the important role cities are playing in the implementation of the EU European Green Deal. Europe’s mayors are looking forward to a sustainable future, but, as Mr Jung explains, some governments seem ready to backtrack and there … Continue reading For Europe’s mayors it’s the Green Deal or bust, and it’s time everyone put their cards on the table →

The role of heat monitoring to help cities adapt to climate change

Satellite images reveal how green spaces, white roads and water features are helping keep cities cool during deadly heatwaves. Lucy Sherriff discusses how cities can adapt in an article on the BBC website. The simple ways cities can adapt to heatwaves Ribbons of blue snake through the bird's eye view of Prague, a cool … Continue reading The role of heat monitoring to help cities adapt to climate change →

Amsterdam and the circular economy

Suzanne Bearne writes on the BBC News website about some of the effort being made to be a circular economy. Is this happening in your city or region? Can Amsterdam make the circular economy work? At United Repair Centre (URC), located next to the popular indoor food market Foodhallen in Amsterdam, Bakri Zaitoun is … Continue reading Amsterdam and the circular economy →

A board game challenges players to decarbonise New York City

A board game give players a quick grounding in what solving climate change actually means, in a physical and social sense, based on demand of energy and the types of renewable or carbon neutral generation that can supply 8 million New Yorkers. Alyson Krueger describes the game in an article on the New York Times … Continue reading A board game challenges players to decarbonise New York City →