For many reasons, there is increasing attention being given to congestion and air pollution in our cities due to traffic. While, in many cities there has been a trend towards smaller vehicles, increasingly there are growing numbers of sports utility vehicles (SUVs). In Europe, sales of SUVs leaped from 7% of the market in 2009 … Continue reading
I’m advised by my friends from Canberra that the city is hooked on the car culture and a fairly unsustainable lifestyle. It is going to be a challenge for the needed change. Tom Lowrey writes on the ABC News website about the plans that are being considered. What is your city doing to combat climate … Continue reading
Having been in Paris when it hit 42 C was a bit of a shock. Dealing with dramatic heat levels is a necessity to avoid health and other concerns. Tim Schauenberg writes on the Deutsche Welle website about how we can keep them cool. What is your experience? Cities are heating up. How can we … Continue reading
Natural gas was once hailed as an important transition fuel but that view is now rapidly changing as the move away from all fossil fuels accelerates. Susie Cagle writes in The Guardian about the recent vote in Berkeley to ban natural gas hook-ups in new buildings. Cagle writes: “Natural gas, it seems, has become the … Continue reading
Karishma Asarpota, an urban planner and researcher, writes on the Inter Press Service News Agency website about his views on ways in which we should rethink architectural or urban design solutions. What are your views? Building a More Energy-Efficient Neighbourhood in Dubai Dubai is an Emirate in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with a … Continue reading
It is encouraging to see the efforts being made by cities globally to move to a low-carbon energy transition. Kristin Musulin writes on the Smart Cities Dive website about the commitment recently made by the city of Chicago. Chicago becomes largest US city to commit to 100% clean energy Dive Brief: The Chicago City … Continue reading
Who doesn’t enjoy Copenhagen when you visit? But the city offers so much more than just a tourist destination, according to an article by Somini Sengupta in an article in the New York Times. What are your views? Copenhagen Wants to Show How Cities Can Fight Climate Change Copenhagen intends to, and fast. By … Continue reading
Geert Groot Koerkamp provides a good article on the Deutsche Welle website about the rapid construction underway in Moscow to accommodate the burgeoning population, putting a strain on the environment and rural communities. As we are urbanising globally, it is important to step back and look at the impacts. High-rise mania overshadows Moscow’s suburban … Continue reading
Sophie Mbugua writes on the Deutsche Welle website about a new initiative to promote solar powered motorcycles in Kenya. Pollution is a big problem that needs innovative approaches. Importantly, electric motorcycles do not require an investment in new transport infrastructure such as the installation of special charging stations. It will be interesting to see how … Continue reading
Adam Fishman from the SDG Knowledge Hub at the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) explains about an interesting new report from the Asian Development Bank on climate solutions in Chinese cities. ADB Highlights 50 Climate Solutions in China’s Cities A report launched by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) outlines 50 “climate solutions” in … Continue reading
