Most popular news stories in September
UN General Assembly elects Joan Clos as new Executive Director of UN-HABITAT
World Disasters Report 2010
African planners mull urbanization challenges
Mobile Devices Could Prompt Rise in City Living
Cities get common standard for measuring greenhouse gas emissions
The 2010 UN-HABITAT Scroll of Honour Award Winners
UN-HABITAT, Google in new global water initiative
Citizens, Cities and Video Surveillance
Cities holding the balance of power
The chance to share successful city-level strategies for immigrant integration
Bike Lanes Make Streets Safer for Pedestrians
€115 million to be allocated for local energy efficiency projects
ICLEI Member cities dominate as finalists for the European Green Capital awards
Singapore outgrowing livability?
International essay competition winners announced
EMI Launching event - Brussels, 26 October 2010
Understanding OPEN Cities: Madrid, Dublin, Toronto, Auckland & Amsterdam
If Cities Focus on Walkable Communities, Economic Development Will Follow
Municipalities and regions organise an Energy Day during EU Sustainable Energy Week
The World's Fastest-Growing City in Pictures
All news stories
30/9/2010 - Addressing global climate challenges ultimately boils down to two considerations: water and energy
30/9/2010 - 20 years of a global-local network
30/9/2010 - Call for Papers Extended - International Conference 2011 on Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development
30/9/2010 - Bikers Behaving Badly: Is Street Design to Blame?
29/9/2010 - Experts discuss new approaches to city design
29/9/2010 - London Olympic Redevelopment Tours
29/9/2010 - Call for Papers: Decentralization and Urban Transformation in Asia
28/9/2010 - EPA Picks Five State Capitals to Create Models of Green Design
28/9/2010 - Member of World Mayors Council on Climate Change heading to UN
27/9/2010 - Parking Behavior Changes Overnight
27/9/2010 - Troubling outlook drives delegates to Transport Security Expo
27/9/2010 - World Disasters Report 2010 : Focus on urban risk
26/9/2010 - African planners mull urbanization challenges
25/9/2010 - World Habitat Awards 2010
24/9/2010 - Mobile Devices Could Prompt Rise in City Living
24/9/2010 - United Nations recognizes the right to drinkable water as a human right
24/9/2010 - UCLG renews its governing bodies on the occasion of the Local and Regional Leaders’ World Summit
24/9/2010 - Suburbs Go Head To Head With The City
23/9/2010 - “Building Europe from the bottom up”
23/9/2010 - Traffic Deaths at 60-Year Low
22/9/2010 - Climate change requires new model of solidarity
22/9/2010 - 5 Major Factors Behind America's Strongest Cities
22/9/2010 - Cities for Mobility News
22/9/2010 - More Ways to Shrink
21/9/2010 - CEMR invites cities, municipalities and regions to conference on Trust in Government
21/9/2010 - Freeways Going Green
21/9/2010 - Low-energy cities workshop
21/9/2010 - Accessibility: an award for exemplary urban initiatives
20/9/2010 - Okayama City to offer free electric vehicle rentals
20/9/2010 - UN-HABITAT, Google in new global water initiative
20/9/2010 - Take part in the EUROCITIES Smart Cities workshop
19/9/2010 - Rotterdam: URBACT Case study of cities' response to the crisis
18/9/2010 - Citizens, Cities and Video Surveillance
18/9/2010 - Cities get common standard for measuring greenhouse gas emissions
17/9/2010 - The chance to share successful city-level strategies for immigrant integration
17/9/2010 - EUROCITIES joins Commission's new urban transport expert group
17/9/2010 - Special Report: Brno - The Road to More Cooperation Among Municipalities
16/9/2010 - Towards a European Executive Master in Urban Security
15/9/2010 - Bike Lanes Make Streets Safer for Pedestrians
14/9/2010 - In New York, arterial streets are the deadliest
14/9/2010 - Cities where walking can be fatal
14/9/2010 - €115 million to be allocated for local energy efficiency projects
13/9/2010 - The Economics of China's Mega Traffic Jam
13/9/2010 - RUnUP project: Local Strategies for Talent Attraction and Retention
12/9/2010 - U.S. Mayors continue push towards a green economy
12/9/2010 - European-Style Cafe Life gains foothold in America
12/9/2010 - World Share/Transport Forum
11/9/2010 - The 2010 UN-HABITAT Scroll of Honour Award Winners
10/9/2010 - Vienna’s urban and environmental technologies online
10/9/2010 - Regions in a shifting global landscape
9/9/2010 - "Temporary" Parks Get Approved Easier
9/9/2010 - London's homeless give alternative guided tours of the city
9/9/2010 - ICLEI Member cities dominate as finalists for the European Green Capital awards
8/9/2010 - Singapore outgrowing livability?
8/9/2010 - CEMR’s third twinning seminar to focus on Central and Eastern Europe
7/9/2010 - The World's Fastest-Growing City in Pictures
7/9/2010 - International essay competition winners announced
7/9/2010 - EMI Launching event - Brussels, 26 October 2010
6/9/2010 - Ten Master-Planned Communities That Bucked the Trend
6/9/2010 - Cities delivering smarter growth
5/9/2010 - "Forgotten Cities" of America
4/9/2010 - Understanding OPEN Cities: Madrid, Dublin, Toronto, Auckland & Amsterdam
3/9/2010 - Walk Score Launches Transit Score
3/9/2010 - Cities holding the balance of power
2/9/2010 - If Cities Focus on Walkable Communities, Economic Development Will Follow
2/9/2010 - Campsites Commuters in London
1/9/2010 - UN General Assembly elects Joan Clos as new Executive Director of UN-HABITAT
1/9/2010 - Municipalities and regions: organise an Energy Day during EU Sustainable Energy Week
Addressing global climate challenges ultimately boils down to two considerations: water and energy
Within the next generation, 60% of the world’s population will live in cities or urban areas requiring massive water and energy services and infrastructures. One of the key themes discussed at IWA World Water Congress today and tomorrow is the nexus between water, climate and energy.
Water is essential for energy. Water is required during fuel extraction, refinement and production. Water is required for hydropower and is used in cooling thermal and nuclear power plants. Every time energy is produced and used, water is consumed.
Energy is essential for water. Energy is used for extraction, transfer and treating drinking water. It is used in the collection, treatment and disposal of wastewater. Energy is also consumed when water is used by households and industry, especially through heating and cooling.
“Major policy gaps are preventing the full recognition of the link between water, energy and climate change. Decision makers in the international community must recognise and create a policy environment that supports efforts to address the major water issues arising from climate change”, says Dr David Garman, President of the International Water Association (IWA).
“There is a need for integration of water and energy policies. Having the right pricing, policy and regulatory frameworks are critical to encourage behavioural changes, motivate innovation and ensure sustainable use of water and energy. It will allow simultaneous adaptation and mitigation to climate change”, he continues.
Adaptation to climate change challenges requires a paradigm shift as communities transition to more climate resilient systems. Many parts of the urban water sector are already grappling with climate change impacts and it is clear that solution will require new responses with increased level of collaboration and coordination.
“A recent World Bank study estimates that by 2020 up to 60 billion of 100 billion dollars will be required to support water related adaptation that is coastal protection, water supplies and drainage. The question is, how can IWA and the water sector contribute towards these goals?“, concludes Henk van Schaik, Programme Co-ordinator International, Co-operative Programme on Water and Climate.
20 years of a global-local network
ICLEI has grown over the past 20 years to become the world's leading local government association addressing climate change and it continues to identify cities as crucial players in the global process of finding local solutions to the global climate challenge. Today, more than 1200 local governments and their associations, representing over 440 million people in 70 countries, constitute ICLEI's membership. Yvo de Boer, the former Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, confirmed that "climate change will be won by citizens, business and local governments".
ICLEI will confront the implications of climate change at its 20th anniversary "Future of Cities" in Incheon, Korea this October, at a time when Asia is experiencing a new phenomenon: Fast growing cities. To tackle the huge challenges ahead "we must act more rapidly and go for more radical solutions" says ICLEI's Secretary General, Konrad Otto-Zimmermann. world congress "
Call for Papers Extended - International Conference 2011 on Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development
29-31, July, 2011, Kanazawa city, Japan
http://urbaneastasia.jimdo.com/conference/spsd2011-kanazawa/paper-submission/
The abstract deadline of SPSD2011 is extented until October 5, 2010
The conference is intended to gather researchers and planning consultants who will share the latest results of research and successful case studies in spatial planning and sustainable development. The field ranges from urban policy, planning and design, planning support system to the field of transportation planning, landscape design and geography.
Bikers Behaving Badly: Is Street Design to Blame?
Cyclists who disobey traffic laws are the No. 1 police complaint among residents of Manhattan's Upper East Side. Could the built environment be the real culprit?
New Urban Network says that while the brouhaha over bicylists is blown way out of proportion (check out their comparison of bicyclist-caused accidents vs. automobile accidents), street design might actually be to blame for some of the clashing behavior:
"...Jim Charlier of Charlier Associates planning consultants in Boulder, Colorado, observed that in dense urban centers, 'all kinds of improvised behavior are going on.' Pedestrians jaywalk. Cyclists go up on sidewalks. If it's 'low-speed behavior,' Charlier said, the danger is less than it might otherwise be. In some instances, the design of the built environment can alleviate the problem. Boulder and some other cities have installed 'contra-flow' bike lanes on some one-way streets so that cyclists can ride legally and safely in the opposite direction of motor vehicles."
http://newurbannetwork.com/article/conflict-between-cyclists-and-pedestrians-spurs-calls-action-new-york-13217
Experts discuss new approaches to city design
Practitioners from the fields of design, planning and architecture gathered at the United Nations Pavilion recently to share ideas on building more sustainable, resourceful, and user-friendly cities. The event chaired by Prof. Ezio Mancini of Politecnico di Milano, Italy was part of a three-day conference taking place in Shanghai.
In his opening address, Mr. Mancini highlighted the need for an interdisciplinary approach to rapidly growing cities. The design community, he noted, can offer creative and enabling ideas to meet emerging challenges but it must always do so by engaging local actors, those who have really the most at stake in the process.
"Shifting our lens and seeing cities as a source of opportunities, rather than problems that require remedial action, is also key to any sustainable initiative," noted Lars Reutersward, Director of the United Nations Pavilion.
Participants later adopted a declaration of principles on design and sustainable urban development.
London Olympic Redevelopment Tours
Tourists can get a close-up look at the transformation of a formerly depressed part of East London into what will be the site of one of the world's largest spectacles when it hosts the 2012 Olympics.
Tour companies are bringing visitors up close to the site of the Olympics in London, where massive amounts of construction and urban development are underway.
"The majority of the games will take place in the massive 500-acre Olympic Park, which is currently a flurry of fenced-in construction in progress on the site of the extensive Rail Lands in East London. Small portions of the site are accessible to the public, and if guided tours are your thing, Blue Badge — that is, professional and registered — tour guides with organizations like Guided Tours of 2012 Sites and Go East London offer two-hour long walk-throughs and bus tours, crammed with details about what’s gone into readying the area to host the thousands of expected daily visitors.
A recent walking tour with Tim Martin, a registered guide, was filled with a dizzying list of facts and tidbits about what the plot of land was like before it became a cluster of cement trucks and cranes."
http://intransit.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/16/seeing-the-london-olympics-still-in-progress/
Call for Papers: Decentralization and Urban Transformation in Asia
ari.nus.edu.sg – This multidisciplinary conference explores the relationship between different forms and degrees of decentralization and urban change in Asia. This conference is organized by the Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore in collaboration with The Asia Foundation. Paper proposals should include a title, an abstract (250 words maximum) and a brief personal biography of 150 words by 15 November 2010
EPA Picks Five State Capitals to Create Models of Green Design
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has committed to help the capital cities of five states pursue high-quality green development that includes cleaning up and recycling vacant lands, providing greater housing and transportation choices, and reducing infrastructure and energy costs.
Through its new Greening America's Capitals program, EPA will fund private-sector experts to provide sustainable design assistance to Boston; Jefferson City, Mo.; Hartford, Conn.; Charleston, W.Va.; and Little Rock, Ark. The cities will demonstrate how to develop sustainable designs that create interesting, unique neighborhoods with multiple social, economic, environmental and public health benefits.
http://smartgrowth.org/news/article.asp?art=7788&res=1280
Member of World Mayors Council on Climate Change heading to UN
Greg Nickels, a Member of the World Mayors Council on Climate Change and former Mayor of ICLEI Member city, Seattle, United States, has been nominated by President Barack Obama for a post within the United States Mission to the United Nations (USUN).
USUN is the United States’ delegation to the United Nations and is responsible for the country's participation on the world stage.
“I am grateful that these accomplished men and women have agreed to serve their country in these important roles. They will be valued additions to this administration, and I look forward to working with them in the coming months and years,” President Obama said in a statement.
Nickels, who is among four individuals nominated for USUN administrative posts, is recommended for Alternate Representative of the United States of America to the Sixty-fifth Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.
Bill Fulton, Mayor of the City of Ventura, reports that within moments of launching paid parking on downtown streets drivers began behaving as intended, with all-day parkers moving to new lots.
Fulton writes:
"Within a half-hour of the time paid parking was instituted in Downtown Ventura this morning, the parking universe had been turned upside down. The free offstreet parking lots, usually two-thirds empty in the morning, was mostly full. And the paid on-street parking spaces which are mostly occupied on a typical morning, were mostly vacant.
The paid parking portion of the downtown parking management program had gone into effect at 10 a.m., and it was already showing results. People who park all day downtown had moved into the lots and the upper levels of the parking garage. Spaces on the street were available for shoppers, diners, and others who were running short-term errands. In other words, only 30 minutes after we instituted the parking management program, it was working."
http://fulton4ventura.blogspot.com/2010/09/parking-management-that-actually.html
Troubling outlook drives delegates to Transport Security Expo
Transport Security Expo saw a significant upswing in visitor numbers during its first outing in the capital, over 2'000 attendees visited the exhibition and conference across the 2 days. The visitor hike reflected a heightened level of concern over high profile actual and attempted strikes against the system during the course of the year and emphasised the need to do more, often times with less as austerity measures begin to bite, to protect the travelling public and international commerce.
With transport security industry news for the year to date having been dominated with terrorist strikes against the air sector and the marked increase in acts of piracy on the high seas, inevitably the event was dominated by high level conferences focusing on the travails in the aviation and maritime sectors.
The operational failures that led to the attempted bombing of a Northwest airlines flight late last year have exposed the fact the aviation world is still wide-open to the machinations of those with intent to harm. A shift in tactics by pirates has demonstrated that a naval show of force alone is insufficient to prevent the seizure of vessels in the vast swathe of ocean where they maraud with apparent impunity.
A sense emerged during the course of the Transport Security Expo conference programme that the need for a step change in how the protection afforded the travelling public and international commerce is delivered has become much more acute and demands careful consideration in currently austere times.
World Disasters Report 2010 : Focus on urban risk
reliefweb.int – The 2010 World Disasters Report (WDR) focuses on urban risk in the context of a world which is urbanizing rapidly, where over half the world’s population now live in cities for the first time and more people than ever before live in slums.
The report states that the root cause of why so many people are affected by urban disasters is that a billion people live in poor-quality homes on dangerous sites with no hazard-reducing infrastructure and no services. In any given year, over 50,000 people can die as a result of earthquakes and 100 million can be affected by floods and the worst-affected are most often vulnerable city dwellers.
African planners mull urbanization challenges
With an accelerated pace of urbanization which is projected to result in over 300 million new urban dwellers in the next 20 years, planners in Africa are faced with the daunting task of ensuring that the development takes place in an orderly manner.
This is one of the main issues which African planners sought to address during Planning Africa 2010 Conference which staged recently in Durban, South Africa. They expressed a firm belief that planners can and should play a key role in advising policy makers and developing appropriate responses to make cities work better for all, and particularly for the poor.
It sets out to contribute to the development of Africa through better spatial and physical planning, review and improvement of planning systems across the continent as well as linking African planners and facilitate capacity building and shared learning, and the creation of an indigenous and integrated African approach to urban planning.
Despite the great diversity in terms of capacities, urban problems and planning systems, the Associations gathered in Durban resolved to commit to an African perspective and to contribute to its formulation linking theory and practice, towards an African approach to urban sustainability and poverty.
http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?cid=8854&catid=5&typeid=6&subMenuId=0&AllContent=1
World Habitat Awards 2010
The Building and Social Housing Foundation is currently seeking entries for the World Habitat Awards 2010. This prestigious competition may be of interest to your readers. Further details are available in our World Habitat Awards e-Flyer and brochure (please find attached). Please feel free to forward this to others who may be interested.
Now in their 25th year, the World Habitat Awards seek to identify practical, innovative and sustainable solutions to current housing issues faced by countries of the Global South as well as the North, which are capable of being transferred or adapted for use elsewhere. The competition is open to all individuals and organisations, including central and local governments, NGOs, community-based groups, research organisations and the private sector.
Each year a panel of international judges assesses the projects entered for the competition and selects two winners. An award of £10,000 is presented to the winners at the annual United Nations global celebration of World Habitat Day.
This year’s World Habitat Awards were presented to Local Housing Movement Programme, Egypt and Ekostaden Augustenborg, Sweden. Details of these two winning projects and the competition finalists can be found on the World Habitat Awards website at www.worldhabitatawards.org.
Mobile Devices Could Prompt Rise in City Living
The Atlantic suggests that mobile devices and the ability to connect them with the Internet will help lure more people into cities.
By being able to do work on the go, and access information everywhere, the prospect of doing work on the commute could make more people opt for the bus or the train rather than the hands-required world of car driving.
"The latest network to overspread our country -- the wireless electromagnetic one -- is just not fully compatible with driving, at least for human brains. In more economic terms, the opportunity cost of car commuting is going up. You can listen to Howard Stern in a car; you can run your business from a train or bus.
Infrastructure is a viscous social structure, so I have no illusions that a century-old transportation system and its attendant urban forms are suddenly going to disappear. But it's all the networks we layer on top of one another -- information, power, transportation, water -- that help determine the social desirability of a place." http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2010/08/how-mobile-devices-could-lead-to-more-city-living/61931/
United Nations recognizes the right to drinkable water as a human right
After more than 15 years of a worldwide campaign led by Bolivia, the United Nations recognized the right to drinkable water as a fundamental right.
The resolution was adopted with 122 votes in favor and 41 abstentions at the UN General Assembly.
This historic step voices deep concern on the 884 million people that do not have access to clean drinkable water and on the 2.6 billion inhabitants of the planet who have no access to basic sanitation.
The resolution calls on the States and international organizations "to offer funding and technology to help poorer countries scale up their efforts to provide clean, accessible and affordable drinking water and sanitation for everyone".
The resolution also recalls the commitments of States members the UN within the framework of the Millennium Development Goals adopted in 2000.
For the members of UCLG, implementing this new human right needs however new governance practices that acknowledges the role of local governments in water supply and sanitation.
UCLG renews its governing bodies on the occasion of the Local and Regional Leaders’ World Summit
The 3rd World Congress of United Cities and Local Governments will be held in Mexico City from 17 to 20 November 2010, jointly with the Local and Regional Leaders’ World Summit.
Thousands of representatives from local and regional governments will meet in Mexico to define the international work plan for the 2010-2013 period and equally to renew the statutory bodies of UCLG.
The General Assembly, that includes all UCLG members, will meet on 20 November in the morning and will proceed with the election of the UCLG World Council on the basis of the appointments proposals sent by the Regional Sections.
The newly elected World Council will meet on 20 November in the afternoon to elect in turn the Executive Bureau and the new Presidency of UCLG.
Suburbs Go Head To Head With The City
"With cities worldwide busy repurposing their industrial districts and docklands as upmarket housing and waterfront retail centres, the suburbs need to find a new competitive edge," writes Sarah Murray.
New suburbs are now planned to include movie theaters, medical centers, gyms, retail outlets and restaurants clustered around town squares. This realignment of development styles has occurred in response to the growing popularity of city living. "And as single-person households increase, they also need to cater to a different type of buyer – one looking for entertainment and possibilities for social life, rather than a convenient place in which to raise a family."
“You find a lot of new suburbs are now building in a town centre with a fake history,” says John Archer, chair of the department of cultural studies and comparative literature at the University of Minnesota.
Anthony Townsend, director of technology development at the Institute for the Future in Palo Alto, California, has observed the same trend. “The suburbs are being re-engineered,” he says. “And it’s about going back and filling in buffer zones around development sites and increasing the density to make transit more feasible. Shopping malls are being turned into urban villages.”
“Building Europe from the bottom up”:
The Covenant of Mayors inspires the President of the European Commission
On 27th August 2010, in a speech delivered in Rimini -a member of Energy Cities- the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, presented the Covenant of Mayors as an exemplary initiative for Europe. Invited to talk at the 31st Meeting for Friendship Among Peoples, he expressed his desire to extend such innovative partnerships to other policy areas and said this was “subsidiarity in action1”. His message underlined the fact that “As a result, local governments have become leading actors in implementing sustainable energy policies”1.
The 2,000 towns and cities that have signed up to the Covenant of Mayors can be proud of their commitment. “What you are doing is unprecedented [...]”2, José Manuel Barroso already said on 4th May 2010 in Brussels.
Energy Cities’ strong involvement in the Covenant of Mayors is largely motivated by the mobilisation and enthusiasm shown by thousands of local and regional authorities to achieve and exceed the EU Energy and Climate Package objectives. They are taking responsibilities, at their own level, and have voluntarily committed themselves to the same objectives as the Member States and the EU in terms of preparing their territories for the necessary energy and climate transition and contributing to the common good. In return, they expect the more favourable regulations as well as the best regulatory, fiscal and financial practices already tried and tested across Europe to be put into place. Local authorities are inventing another way of building Europe.
A utopic idea? Maybe not! José Manuel Barroso’s speech entitled “Building Europe from the bottom up’’ delivered in Rimini, one of the Covenant of Mayors signatories, gives grounds for hope. Mr Barroso believes that “[...] the contribution of Europe’s regions and cities does not end with the fight against climate change. They have just as important a role to play in realising our targets for jobs, investment, research, education and social inclusion.1” And he expresses his wish “to see local and regional authorities extend innovative partnerships like the Covenant of Mayors to other policy areas. This would help Europe to translate its ambitions into reality, while taking account of the immense diversity our continent enjoys, and the differing situations on the ground.1”Energy Cities is pleased to see that the Covenant of Mayors is opening new perspectives for Europe beyond energy and climate issues!
Traffic Deaths at 60-Year Low
Traffic deaths are down almost 10% for last year- in fact, they haven't been this low since 1950. Why?
Well, the economic slump means fewer people driving for entertainment purposes, and more fatal accidents occur when people are driving to and from entertainment. That's one explanation, according to Ray LaHood, in addition to safer vehicles.
From CNN: "Alcohol-related traffic deaths, one of the leading types of fatal traffic accidents, declined by 7.4% between 2008 and 2009, NHTSA said. Last year 10,839 people were killed in alcohol related crashes, the agency said, about a third of all traffic deaths."
Motorcycle accidents have also decreased significantly.
http://money.cnn.com/2010/09/09/autos/nhtsa_traffic_deaths/index.htm?cnn=yes&hpt=T2
Climate change requires new model of solidarity
European local and regional representatives called for a new model of solidarity between EU Member States, cities, provinces and regions, underlining the necessity of joining forces in order to successfully adapt water management to the impacts of climate change.
The call was made on 13 September 2010 in Munich at the occasion of the Local Government's Day entitled “Cities adapt: local water strategies in a changing climate”, organised by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), Climate Alliance and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability.
Local and regional authorities cannot tackle the impacts of climate change alone. They have to work together with other public authorities at local, regional and national levels as well as with the European Union, researchers and the private sector so as to access relevant information, develop technical expertise and find the necessary financial resources. Furthermore, nature knows no boundaries, which renders a joint action often necessary when it comes to monitoring water systems, rivers and floods.
http://www.ccre.org/news_detail_en.htm?ID=1936
5 Major Factors Behind America's Strongest Cities
Derek Thompson reports on the twenty strongest metro areas and the major factors behind their success in recovering from the recession. He concludes that the country "did not experience an even, cross-country recession."
Thompson finds that education and health centers have fought back ferociously. "The eds and meds have outpaced the private sector in growth through the downturn, into the recovery, and they will continue to cast a long shadow over job creation in the next decade."
Similar Federal spending has allowed military cities to maintain a flowing economy through tech contracts and base spending. Cities such as Washington, Virginia Beach and Augusta have found this factor lucrative.
State capitals, cheap cost of living and Texas and the central time zone also feature heavily on the top 20 list, published by Brookings'.
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2010/09/5-things-americas-strongest-cities-have-in-common/62713/
Cities for Mobility News
We are pleased to inform you that the second edition of the CFM electronic Magazine in 2010 has been published. The current edition focuses on the results of the Fourth World Congress of Cities for Mobility which took place in the city of Stuttgart on July 4-6. You will also find as usual interesting articles about mobility projects and events all over the world.
Among others, the experience of New Delhi during the preparation for the Commonwealth Games 2010 is showcased. Moreover, the eMagazine presents the international organization Youth For Public Transport (Y4PT) which shares ideas and promotes dialogue empowering the youth to put forward solutions on public transport. A special highlight is the new publication "Our Cities Ourselves" which has been released recently by ITDP and Gehl Architects. It contains 10 principles for public transport that show how cities all over the world can meet the challenges of rapid population growth and climate change while improving their competitiveness.
Click on the link below to read the eMagazine with the online viewer:
http://issuu.com/citiesformobility/docs/cfm_emagazine_2010_2
More Ways to Shrink
Drake Bennett rounds up a host of new ideas for cities like Detroit and Cleveland that are forced to consider how to manage their shrinking cities.
Bennett writes: "The resulting cities may need to look and feel very different — different, perhaps, from the common understanding of what a modern American city is. Rather than trying to lure back residents or entice businesses to build on vacant lots, cities may be better off finding totally new uses for land: large-scale urban farms, or wind turbines or geothermal wells, or letting large patches revert to nature. Instead of merely tolerating the artist communities that often spring up in marginal neighborhoods, cities might actively encourage them to colonize and reshape whole swaths of the urban landscape. Or they might consider selling off portions to private companies to manage.
A few of these ideas are actually starting to be tried."
Cleveland, Detroit, and Lackawanna, New York are all discussed.
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2010/09/05/how_to_shrink_a_city/
CEMR invites cities, municipalities and regions to conference on Trust in Government
The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) invites towns, cities and regions and their representatives to attend the conference on “Trust in Government: Build – Maintain – Improve”, and bring their views, experiences and best practices to the debate.
The conference, organised by CEMR in collaboration with the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG), is to be held on 13 October 2010 in The Hague.
CEMR and VNG hope to provide participants with a platform for discussing the trust citizens have for their public administrations and for democratic institutions and processes as well as on new ways and methods to involve citizens.
Why is confidence in public administration steadily declining in Europe? How can the difference in the level of trust citizens have in their local, regional and national government be explained? What is the solution to build, but also to maintain and improve trust in government? How can active citizenship be further encouraged? Such will be among the questions posed during the conference.
https://sites.google.com/site/trustingovernment/
Freeways Going Green
Dallas, Texas is building a new park on a deck over the Woodall Rodgers Freeway, a strategy for creating new public spaces that is being tried across the country.
Tod Newcombe at Governing says that in the past few years, "...parks over highways have appeared in Boston, Phoenix, Seattle, Trenton, N.J., and Duluth, Minn., to name a few places."
The Dallas park will reconnect the uptown and downtown neighborhoods "...for the first time in decades, and provide a majestic green centerpiece for the city's burgeoning art district."http://www.governing.com/columns/urban-notebook/dallas-covers-highway-greenery.html
Low-energy cities workshop
Energy Cities organises a workshop on Low-energy cities with a high quality of life for all: a way towards territorial cohesion, during the Open Days Week in Brussels in order to:
- Build bridges between Energy and Territorial cohesion,
- Gather stakeholders acting directly or indirectly on Energy issues at local and territorial level,
- Prefigure a local energy alliance.
See the programme enclosed and save the date: October 6th 2010, 14:30 – 17:00, in Brussels
Important: Registration is compulsory!
*As the Open Days’ organisers require it, you have to REGISTER as soon as possible on the Open Days Website. We will then confirm your registration.
http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/conferences/od2010/registration.cfm?nmenu=500
*The code number of the workshop is: 06C14.
Accessibility: an award for exemplary urban initiatives
The European Commission Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities has launched the Access City Award, the first European award for accessible cities.
This initiative aims at.encouraging European cities which play a major role in the implementation of initiatives allowing for people with disabilities to have an equal access to all aspects of urban life.
The award will be granted to cities with over 50,000 inhabitants that have developed the most successful and innovative initiatives in helping persons with disabilities to fully participate in urban society. Four European cities will be selected as finalists for the award ceremony to be held in Brussels, from 2 to 3 December, 2010.
The European Champion for Accessible Cities Award is being organised in parallel to the Access City Award. It has been designed to reward networks of cities and organisations which have had a demonstrable impact on the improvement of accessibility in urban environments.
The idea behind these two competitions is to showcase success stories and set an inspiring example for other cities to follow, as it is recognised that improved accessibility also has important social and economic benefits.
Municipal authorities have to submit their application before 23 September 2010.
To learn more about these innovative projects, please visit the official Access City Award website.
http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=916&langId=fr
Okayama City to offer free electric vehicle rentals
ICLEI Member Okayama City, Japan, will begin a pilot project offering free electric vehicle rentals for local sightseeing purposes.
The project, which begins mid September 2010, is expected to boost local tourism while also raising the local profile of environmentally-friendly electric vehicles. Okayama is installing electric vehicle charging points for the project.
The city aims to collect several pieces of information from the endeavor:
1.the general profile of people who use electric vehicles
2.the purpose of renting electric vehicles
3.how far electric vehicle users travel
4.how to successfully operate an electric vehicle rental operation
Interestingly, Okayama Prefecture is conducting its own electric vehicle pilot project which began in May 2010 and continues until November 28, 2010.
The prefecture government is offering residents a chance to drive electric vehicles, free of charge, on weekends and on national holidays. Residents send in applications a month in advance for a chance to rent one of the vehicles.
Early numbers indicate the project's enormous popularity; for May and June 2010, there were 450 applications for only 50 available vehicles.
UN-HABITAT, Google in new global water initiative
UN-HABITAT and Google.org have launched an innovative new h2.0 Initiative to ensure water and sanitation facts are instantly available virtually anywhere in the world.
It is intended to provide an interactive platform for water practitioners to share real-time information about the data they have collected. Once submitted, the information is fed into various databases and templates and is accessible in the public domain. To see it in action, go to http://www.h20initiative.org
Take part in the EUROCITIES Smart Cities workshop
The European Commission’s Directorate Generals for information society and regional policy have invited EUROCITIES to organise a joint session on 5 October during the 2010 Open Days European week of cities and regions.
Our session will be shaped around the theme of Smart Cities & Commission funding e.g. structural funds. High representatives of the Commission and EU Member States taking part in the sustainable cities framework, together with mayors, will be invited to attend.
The session will also feature signing ceremony for those cities wishing to commit to the EUROCITIES Green Digital Charter. The charter is recognised at EU level as a solid commitment by cities towards achieving a cleaner and more efficient Europe and the Commission would like to build on its success.
Open Days has become an annual key event for cities and regions to showcase their capacity for creating growth and jobs, implementing EU cohesion policy, and proving the importance of the local level for good European governance. The event encourages debate and networking among Europe's experts and decision-makers in regional and local development. This year, it expects to attract a record 245 regions and cities from 34 countries as event partners.
Rotterdam: URBACT Case study of cities' response to the crisis
Cities are clearly on the front line when it comes to the impact of the crisis and they will play a major role in both exploring and implementing many of the solutions which directly effect people's lives. Based on the results of the URBACT survey on the impact of the economic crisis and the responses of URBACT cities, 10 URBACT cities have been preselected for in depth case studies of cities response to the crisis. Third city in the spotlight after Newcastle and Jyväskylä: Rotterdam "A preventive approach to youth unemployment."
The Rotterdam case study describes the preventive approach the city of Rotterdam is taking to youth unemployment. In 2009, as a response to the economic crisis, the Dutch government launched a Youth Unemployment Action Plan, with the aim of addressing long-term social and economic problems that can result from extended unemployment among youths. Each Dutch region has to translate the framework of long-term goals established nationally into concrete actions. As for municipalities, to access the funds made available by the national government, they must be able to present their own local youth action plan.
http://urbact.eu/en/header-main/news-and-events/view-one/urbact-news/?entryId=4979
Citizens, Cities and Video Surveillance
The new Efus publication Towards a democratic and responsible use of videosurveillance is now available. It is the result of the European project Citizens, Cities and Video Surveillance, focused on the use of video surveillance in the prevention of crime and its consequences on individual rights, that concluded in May with a final conference in Rotterdam. Available in five languages (English, French, Italian, Spanish and German), the publication includes a round-up of the debates and experiences shared by the participants throughout the project, as well as a series of articles by experts from various European countries.
This European project also led to the declaration of a Charter for a Democratic Use of Video Surveillance, that includes a series of basic principles and practical tools aimed at helping local authorities to guarantee the respect of fundamental rights in the use of CCTV. Available in ten languages, this charter has been signed by the Mayors of Rotterdam (Netherlands) and Saint-Herblain (France), and is open for signature by other Mayors. For more information, go to www.cctvcharter.eu
Cities get common standard for measuring greenhouse gas emissions
The world's cities now have a common method for calculating the amount of greenhouse gases produced within their boundaries.
On the sidelines of the Fifth Session of the World Urban Forum held in Rio de Janeiro, UNEP, UN-HABITAT, and the World Bank jointly launched an International Standard for Determining Greenhouse Gas Emissions for Cities.
City mayors, other urban leaders, businessmen and civil society all recognize the need to act to reduce the impacts of climate change on cities. While measurement should not delay action, a critical requirement to support policy and access to finance is the establishment of an open, global and harmonized protocol for quantifying the GHG emissions attributable to cities and local regions.
"The common standard is a critical first step for cities to better understand their greenhouse gas emissions, with this knowledge cities can better target policies and inform their citizens," said Zoubida Allaoua, World Bank Director for Finance, Economics and Urban Development Department, Sustainable Development Network. http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?cid=8830&catid=5&typeid=6&subMenuId=0&AllContent=1
The chance to share successful city-level strategies for immigrant integration
On October 3-4, migration and integration experts from over 54 global cities will attend the 2010 International Cities of Migration Conference, “An Opportunity Agenda for Cities,” in The Hague to share successful local strategies for integrating immigrants in ways that benefit both newcomers and the host community.
Speakers range from Wim Kok, the former Prime Minister of the Netherlands and President, Club of Madrid, to acclaimed US author Ali Eteraz, and include international city mayors, media experts and urban strategists.
“For the past 18 months, we’ve been working with international partners in the UK, New Zealand, the US, Germany and Spain to help cities better connect around their shared issues of urbanization and migration,” says Ratna Omidvar, Maytree, President. “Now, through the Cities of Migration initiative, there is an organized way for the city of London to learn from Toronto, and for Toronto to learn from Zurich. The initiative is helping cities learn from local experiments and transporting successful ideas to cities around the world.”
The Cities of Migration conference features innovative ideas that contribute to city prosperity and community well-being. Among others, conference participants will hear about how the Cardiff police built trust while providing language training to refugees and how the participatory approach to building the new mosque in Duisburg also created broad community support. More good ideas from cities includes promoting bicycling to immigrants in Copenhagen, business incubation in Barcelona and voting rights in Dublin.
“What the Cities of Migration collection of Good Ideas shows is that settlement of migrants is local, and mostly in cities, which are increasingly more open to diverse populations. Led well, the settlement of migrants becomes a two-way process in which both the newcomers and the host populations adapt, evolve and prosper” adds Greg Clark, Lead Advisor, OPEN Cities , Chair, OECD LEED Forum on Development Agencies and Investment Strategies.
For the full progamme please see: http://conference.citiesofmigration.
EUROCITIES joins Commission's new urban transport expert group
In addition to adopting a directive on Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) last July 2010, the European Commission has also appointed an ‘Expert Group on Urban ITS’.
EUROCITIES will have three ITS expert representatives in he proposed ‘Urban ITS Expert Group’, which aims to support the European Commission in its work relating to the action plans on ITS and urban mobility.
The group will review the deployment of existing ITS, exchange best practice and develop guidelines for key applications and further standardisation at EU level, in order to facilitate the transition to more sustainable mobility in cities. A kick-off meeting is planned for October 2010.
As regards the ITS directive, it applies to road transport, including its interface with other modes of transport, and it’s expected to enter into force in the second half of 2010. The directive aims to support the ITS Action Plan adopted in December 2008 and provides a legal framework for its implementation. It will also ensure coherent and coordinated deployment of the action plan throughout EU Member States. In addition, the directive can help accelerate the greening of transport, for example by encouraging the use of integrated telecommunications and information technologies in the road transport sector. Planning, operating and managing transport systems will then be made easier
Special Report: Brno - The Road to More Cooperation Among Municipalities
Joining Forces is one of the six URBACT projects that came to completion in May. For a period of two years, eight cities worked together on the issue of why and how to create governance at city-region level. For Lille and Brussels, this project was an opportunity to take an approach that was already well-established further. For Brno, in the Czech Republic, it served as a trigger and springboard towards cooperation among the other cities in the municipal area. Marie Zezůlková, project leader with the municipality of Brno, recounts this experience.
For Brno, the second most populated city in the Czech republic with 400,000 inhabitants, URBACT's Joining Forces project caused a mini cultural revolution. 'Before,' explains Marie Zezůlková, 'there was no cooperation at all between the cities in our municipal area, which has about 650,000 inhabitants. The administrative system in the Czech Republic, for that matter, has no legal framework that enables municipalities to work together.' Furthermore, local initiatives receive little encouragement in this country where the reflexes of centralization inherited from the Communist era are still present.
http://urbact.eu/en/header-main/news-and-events/view-one/urbact-news/?entryId=4977
Towards a European Executive Master in Urban Security
The partners involved in the European Commission-sponsored project for the creation of a European Master in Urban Security will gather on September, 28, in Toulouse (France) to present the blueprint of this new programme of studies. Created by the European Commission (part of the Erasmus Lifelong Learning Programme), this project is being developed in partnership with the Efus and the universities of Toulouse (France), Maribor (Slovenia), Liège (Belgium), the Open University of Catalonia (Spain) and the Technical University of Berlin (Germany). The meeting is open to all interested universities.
Bike Lanes Make Streets Safer for Pedestrians
A new study from the New York City Department of Transportation shows that streets with painted bike lanes are 40% less dangerous for pedestrians, among other findings.
A rundown from the Tri-State Transportation Campaign hits some of the highlights.
"Several of the study’s findings echo conclusions drawn by the Campaign’s recent reports. In particular, DOT’s analysis shows that 60 percent of pedestrian fatalities occur on wide “arterials,” though they make up only 15 percent of the road network — a key finding of our Dangerous Roads report. And, as with our Older Pedestrians at Risk report, the DOT notes that seniors are disproportionately represented among NYC pedestrian fatalities."
http://blog.tstc.org/2010/08/18/groundbreaking-nycdot-pedestrian-study-recommends-testing-20-mph-limit-for-neighborhoods/
In New York, arterial streets are the deadliest
Arterial streets account for 60 percent of New York's pedestrian fatalities, says the New York City Department of Transportation.
The city's new Pedestrian Safety Report, based on an examination of more than 7,000 pedestrian accidents, points out, "Arterial streets (typically wide signalized streets that carry high volumes of traffic) account for about 60 percent of pedestrian fatalities but only 15 percent of the total road network."
Pedestrian accidents on arterials streets are deadlier than those on minor streets, The New York Times noted Sept. 5 in a safety report article available here. The Times describes the city's arterials as generally being two-way thoroughfares that go through dense residential and retail areas, follow subway and bus routes, and experience heavy pedestrian traffic.
Echoing safety studies that have appeared in New Urban News in recent years, according to the report, "Wider streets are more dangerous."
Cities where walking can be fatal
GOOD Magazine has an infographic illustrating the world cities with the most pedestrian fatalities per 100,000 residents. Unsurprisingly, 3 American cities are at the top of the list.
Atlanta, Detroit and Los Angeles appear on the outer ring of the circle, with Atlanta and Detroit each coming to roughly 10 pedestrians killed each year for every 100,000 residents. Los Angeles comes in with 7 and a half.
The source of the study is the New York City Pedestrian Safety and Action Plan released in August 2010.
http://awesome.good.is/transparency/web/1008/dead-walking/flat.html
€115 million to be allocated for local energy efficiency projects
Around €115 million is to be allocated to towns and local authorities for investments in services that will create jobs and improve energy efficiency, as approved by members of the European Parliament on the Industry, Research and Energy Committee on 2 September 2010.
The money is part of the unallocated funds of the European Energy Programme for Recovery and should cover local projects such as cleaner transport, smart and more efficient energy grids, more efficient street lighting, solar power, and smart metering of energy use.
The aim of reallocating this sum is to invest in secure and renewable energies, reduce CO2 emissions and create jobs as a part of the Europe 2020 strategy.
The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) welcomes the Parliament's decision to use the unspent European Recovery plan money for such projects, as underlined in its Resolution on the financing of local and regional actions against climate change. CEMR now invites member states to “back this proposal as soon as possible, so that the funds can rapidly benefit to innovative and ambitious policies of European municipalities and regions”.
The Economics of China's Mega Traffic Jam
The recent 11-day traffic jam in China was no fluke. As The Economist explains, the crushing congestion is little more than a real-world example of imbalances in supply and demand.
Car ownership is on the rise in China. So is the construction of new highways. But one is rising faster than the other.
"Roadworks and booming demand for coal and other goods sent thousands of lorries heading for China's capital. Beijing is set to spend 80 billion yuan ($11.8 billion) on transport infrastructure in 2010—but it may not be enough. In recent years rising vehicle ownership has outpaced the growth of China's express highway system by a distance." http://economist.com/node/16909167
RUnUP project: Local Strategies for Talent Attraction and Retention
The issue of talent attraction and retention is of significant importance to cities exploring their role within the knowledge economy. The RUnUP URBACT project organised its third thematic event in the partner city of Barakaldo in Spain in June 2010 to explore the role of local strategies for talent attraction and retention.
Cities are widely recognised as playing a fundamental role in the promotion of the knowledge economy but most research and policy has focussed on large cities with Worldclass educational and research institutes and advanced clusters of economic activity. There are clear and significant gaps in the knowledge of how smaller sized cities, with different levels and types of knowledge institutions and different levels of economic activity can compete within the Knowledge Economy. Yet such cities are recognised within European Union policy as playing a vital role in the implementation of the Lisbon agenda.
http://urbact.eu/en/header-main/news-and-events/view-one/urbact-news/?entryId=4975
U.S. MAYORS CONTINUE PRESS TOWARD A GREEN ECONOMY
California Mayors Share Best Practices On Energy Efficiency
The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM), the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more, hosted a one-day meeting in San Francisco recently at the Fairmont Hotel to discuss how cities in California are using federal stimulus dollars to make local communities more energy efficient and to create green jobs.
Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster, who serves in the Conference’s leadership and chaired the session, was joined by host San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, Cathy Zoi, The U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, and several mayors from the state of California to discuss how Energy Efficiency Block Grants are being used for the first time to support local green projects.
First funded under last year’s Economic Recovery Plan and administered by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program is a newly-created program conceived by the Conference of Mayors designed to assist mayors in reducing city energy use and climate emissions. The program allocates $2.8 billion directly to cities and counties to improve energy efficiency and spur economic growth in the green sector, providing direct formula funding to 215 cities and 13 counties in California.
At a press availability held during the meeting, Mayor Newsom described how he is using San Francisco’s block grant funding. "The EECBG program is allowing us to improve energy efficiency in almost 150 buildings serving San Francisco's diverse neighborhoods," said Mayor Newsom. "More importantly, these energy efficiency projects create and sustain green jobs, save people money on their utility bills, and cut the City's carbon emissions by more than 3,000 tons a year."
European-Style Cafe Life gains foothold in America
In Portland, patterns of urban use are emerging that are similar to the European-style neighborhood bar as a community gathering place.
A developing outdoor cafe scene is conducive to strengthening communities, but many obstacles make it diffult to replicate this in America. For example, drinking laws discourage adults and children from congregating in the same venue, and an overwhelmingly car-centric culture prioritizes roadways over livable spaces.
"In this country, there is also a strange banishment of food from street life," said Philip Myrick, vice president of the Project for Public Spaces, a New York City nonprofit. Exiling food concessions from the public realm violates a fundamental rule of urban design, he added, "Because if your aim is to attract people, food and drink are the main attractions." http://www.enzymepdx.com/2010/european-cafe-life-in-portland/
World Share/Transport Forum
The first international conference of the World Share/Transport Forum – is taking place in Kaohsiung from 16 – 19 September. And if you can't join us in Kaohsiung, be sure that you check out the program at Www.kaohsiung.sharetransport.org and many of the papers at http://worldstreets.wordpress.com/
The 2010 UN-HABITAT Scroll of Honour Award Winners
UN-HABITAT on Monday announced the winners of its 2010 Scroll of Honour, the UN's most prestigious award in human settlements development. The awards, which honour individuals and institutions instrumental in improving living conditions in towns and cities, will be bestowed on World Habitat Day.
http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?cid=8810&catid=5&typeid=6&subMenuId=0&AllContent=1
Vienna’s urban and environmental technologies online
After having presented innovative Viennese solutions in our exhibition “Vienna Know-how: Urban Technologies and Strategies” at Wiener Planungswerkstatt, we have also published these solutions on the new website of TINA VIENNA GmbH, so that detailed information on individual Viennese solutions in the fields of water, urban development, real property, environment, mobility, safety, waste, communication, barrier-free city, energy and strategies is now available online and can also be accessed via smartphone. In addition to in-depth information on innovative Viennese strategies and technologies, the newly designed website also offers information on TINA VIENNA GmbH, interesting theme-related events and current and previous projects of our company. Thus the website provides an illustrative overview of the services the City of Vienna provides in the area of urban technologies and strategies. A visit to the new bilingual portal reveals why Vienna is so special and offers such a high quality of living. We look forward to your feedback! www.tinavienna.at
Regions in a shifting global landscape
How can regions contribute to economic recovery, promote innovation and improve quality of life for future generations? A Conference organised by the Regional Studies Association in Manchester on 2 November 2010 will look at the impact of global changes on the role of regions. Participation is particularly welcome from early career researchers. Deadline for submitting papers: 3 October 2010. http://www.regional-studies-assoc.ac.uk/
"Temporary" Parks Get Approved Easier
Heather Smith talks with urban designer Andres Power about his work creating parklets within the San Francisco Planning Department.
Power says that the nature of San Francisco politics makes it difficult to get anything done, so the temporary nature of the city's parklets makes it significantly easier:
"This makes a big difference. Cities like New York have a strong hierarchical structure. We don’t have that in San Francisco. And so when there are differences in opinion between groups or agencies, it can be almost impossible to get things done. The first plaza that went in, at 17th and Castro, had a history going back almost ten years of the community talking about using that space. But making it temporary made it happen. Then, the parklets were inspired by PARK(ing) Day." http://www.metropolismag.com/pov/20100902/qa-the-streets-of-san-francisco
London's homeless give alternative guided tours of the city
Throughout the month of August 2010, tourists visiting London were able to take unconventional walking tours, dubbed Unseen Tours, of London with homeless or vulnerably housed individuals as their tour guides.
Unseen Tours is a pilot scheme, launched by a grassroots volunteer network called The Sock Mob, which helps homeless people find sustainable jobs as tour guides on the streets they lived on. The tours are located in the London Bridge or Shoreditch neighbourhoods where tourists are shown the usual attractions as well as a firsthand glimpse of street life.
he main objective of the tours is to shed light on the situations faced by the homeless so as to show society what they have to offer and to get more of an understanding of what it is like to be on the streets. The tours also give the homeless more of a sense of ownership of their own lives.
The guides, who are trained by the Sock Mob, keep the majority of the cost of the tour (5 pounds), the remaining profits being reinvested back into the enterprise so as to train more guides.
The Sock Mob hopes to continue with the guided tours over the course of the coming winter in the hopes of making the pilot a replicable model in other cities.
ICLEI Member cities dominate as finalists for the European Green Capital awards
Five of six finalist cities for the 2012 and 2013 European Green Capital awards are ICLEI Members. Chosen from 52 applicant cities, the finalists include:
•Barcelona, Spain
•Malmö, Sweden
•Nantes, France
•Nuremburg, Germany
•Reykjavik, Iceland
•Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
The 2012 and 2013 winners will be revealed during the First European Green Capital Conference in Stockholm, Sweden, October 20 – 22, 2010.
What are the European Green Capital Awards?
The European Commission developed the European Green Capital Awards to recognize the urban sustainability achievements of European cities whose environmental performance stands out from the crowd. The continent is an overwhelmingly urban place with 80% of Europe's citizens now living in towns and cities.
ICLEI Member city Hamburg, Germany, has been selected as the 2011 Green Capital. Stockholm, Sweden, also an ICLEI Member, took the inaugural 2010 title. Hamburg's Green Capital year will officially begin on November 17.
The Awards website highlights the European Commission's belief in local authorities' role in "improving the environment, and their high level of commitment to genuine progress' in this area."
Singapore outgrowing livability?
Singapore, one of the world's most livable cities, is facing a population boom that some say will give the city a crowded and unpleasant future. Recent weather-related destruction highlight some of its growing pains.
Officials are expecting to see population increase roughly 30% over the next 20 years, from 5 million to 6.5 million.
"The target was first cited in 2007 as an optimal population size for long-term economic competitiveness, but strains are already beginning to show as more immigrants and guest workers jostle for space with the locals.
Not to mention an invasion of tourists, with arrivals surpassing the one million mark in a single month for the first time in July, thanks to two new massive casino resorts that opened a few months ago.
Singapore, one of the world's richest cities, has a land area of just 710 square kilometres (274 square miles) but until recent years, it had avoided the congested feeling of places like Hong Kong and Tokyo."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100825/lf_afp/singaporesocialtransporthousing%3E?
CEMR’s third twinning seminar to focus on Central and Eastern Europe
The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) is to hold its third edition of twinning seminars “Which twinning for which Europe” on 9 and 10 November 2010 in Cologne, Germany, with a special focus on Central and Eastern European countries.
The event's main objective, organised at the invitation of the City of Cologne and CEMR's German section (RGRE), is to discuss the role of twinning in developing European citizenship.
The first of the three seminars, held in Tallinn on 25 and 26 March 2010, focused on Northern Europe, while the second, held on 17 and 18 June in Malta, targeted Southern European municipalities.
Moreover, in order to reinforce their participation in European twinning activities, CEMR invited countries from the Western Balkan to all three regional seminar editions.
The conclusions of these three seminars will contribute to the preparation of the Final Declaration of the European Twinning Congress, to be held in Rybnik, Poland, in September 2011, in the framework of the Polish EU Presidency.
Participants will include local elected representatives, twinning experts and representatives from civil society involved in European citizenship activities.
The World's Fastest-Growing City in Pictures
Wired presents a slideshow of photography exploring the booming Chinese city of Chongqing -- the fastest growing urban center in the world.
"A decade ago — as part of plans to raise living standards in the western provinces — the Chinese government put Chonqing at the center of a $200 billion program of investment in infrastructure and commerce. The Guardian has described it as “the biggest megalopolis you’ve never heard of.”
City of Ambition, an online “gallerybook” by Turkish photographer Ferit Kuyas, is a spectral and haunting look at the drastic urbanization of what was once a relatively modest-sized metropolis. Chongqing’s population in its main urban areas was a little over 5 million in 2000. By 2020 it’s estimated that it will be 20 million."
Kuyas' photos show a rapidly expanding city shrouded in fog as it treads towards a newfound status as one of the world's megacities.
http://www.wired.com/rawfile/2010/08/chongqing/
International essay competition winners announced
The winners of 2010 UN-HABITAT International Essay Competition have been announced. The three winners were announced in Nairobi on Monday ending a drawn out search that saw reviews of hundreds of interesting essays submitted by young people from around the world.
Twenty year old Soumitra Subinaya from India emerged the top in the hotly contested exercise with the 30 year old Theresa Mills from the United States coming second. In third position was the 27 year old Foy Franklin from Cameroon.
The winner will be awarded a net book and a roundtrip economy ticket to attend a major UN-HABITAT youth event, the second placed walks away with one high density camera and the third one gets a digital camera.
The essay ‘‘ The right to the City– bridging the urban divide” challenged youth to discuss challenges facing young people in cities, identify the underlying issues that prevent the full inclusion of youth in shaping the urban development agenda from a youth perceptive as well as provide solutions for youth participation in an urban planning and managing cities an essay of 1000 words.
Speaking during the announcement, Mr. Anantha Krishnan UN-HABITAT Senior Advisor for Youth Empowerment said “the essays are a testimony of the expressions and engagements of young people in the understanding of urban divide issues and providing of creative solutions for urbanization''
EMI Launching event - Brussels, 26 October 2010
On October 26th, 2010 the European Metropolitan network Institute (EMI) will present itself to all relevant European stakeholders in an afternoon session with interesting speakers (ranging from EU Commissioner Hahn to renowned urban researchers) and ample time for networking.
It is with great pleasure that we invite you to the launching event of the newly established European Metropolitan network Institute (EMI) on Tuesday October 26th, 2010 in Brussels.
The European Union has recently embarked on a path for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth in dealing with the many challenges facing Europe: the “Europe 2020” strategy are of crucial significance in the implementation of this strategy. Along these very same lines, EMI aims to develop a future strategy for urban Europe.
EMI has the ambition to become the centre of excellence that addresses future challenges in the field of urban knowledge. Guided by the idea of creating a network, EMI’s core activities are research, knowledge sharing and transfer, as well as network and capacity building. All activities are guided by the same principle: “research based, practice led”.
We look forward to welcoming you on the 26th of October at De Warande for our opening at 16:00hrs, followed by a key-note speech by European Commissioner Johannes Hahn (Regional Policy). At the end of the programme we will toast on the future of EMI and urban Europe
Ten Master-Planned Communities That Bucked the Trend
Builder Magazine looks at ten master-planned developments that sold well in a market that has dwindled through the recession.
Four of the ten are in Houston, Texas, and are all infill developments. Gadi Kaufmann, CEO and managing director at RCLCO, notes in the Builder article:
"Three are along the energy corridor to the south and west, and The Woodlands is its own employment corridor. There is a trend reemerging of people wanting to move back closer to jobs and services, rather than choosing exurban bedroom communities that are devoid of these elements."
Jenny Sullivan says the factors for success in these master-planned communities seem to be a variety of housing types and good schools, parks, and other community amenities. http://www.builderonline.com/land/10-best-selling-master-planned-communities-in-2010.aspx
Cities delivering smarter growth
The EUROCITIES Knowledge Society Forum will meet from 19-20 October in Birmingham, to demonstrate how cities make EU2020 and the new EU Digital Agenda a reality.
Birmingham City Council and Digital Birmingham are delighted to be hosting the autumn 2010 Knowledge Society Forum (KSF) from 19-20 October on the theme of “Advancing Smarter Growth in Smarter Cities”.
The aims of the EUROCITIES Knowledge Society Forum conference are to provide an opportunity for EUROCITIES members and other delegates to:
• Gain an insight and exchange with senior EU representatives on the role of cities in delivering EU2020 smart growth and the EU Digital Agenda, and how these EU level strategies impact cities.
• Have a dialogue on how cities are currently delivering smart growth and the kinds of EU level flexibilities and finance mechanisms which are needed to help them go further.
• Share thinking on what constitutes a ‘smart city’.
• Exchange good practice and ideas on cities’ initiatives to foster smart growth.
The conference will feature a healthy mixture of speakers from cities, EU institutions and the private sector, such as Birmingham’s deputy leader Paul Tilsley and Ken Ducatel, head of unit in the European Commission responsible for the Digital Agenda.
"Forgotten Cities" of America
The website 24/7 Wall St. examines ten of the most serious cases of urban decline in the U.S., speculating that some of them will "never recover."
"The economy has evolved so much since the middle of the 20th Century that many cities that were among the largest and most vibrant in America have collapsed. Some have lost more than half of their residents. Others have lost the businesses that made them important centers of finance, manufacturing, and commerce [The 10 "dead cities" on their list include:]
Buffalo [which] was wounded irreparably by the de-industrialization of America; Flint...[which] had almost 200,000 residents in 1960 and has fewer than 100,000 today; Hartford...once the 'insurance capital of the world,' the city’s population peaked at more than 177,000 and has dropped to 124,000 recently; Cleveland had 914,000 residents in 1950. The figure is below 480,000 today; New Orleans...In the year after [Katrina], the population dropped to just above 250,000, down from 627,000 in 1960."
Rounding off the list are Detroit, Albany, Allentown, Atlantic City and Galveston.
Understanding OPEN Cities: Madrid, Dublin, Toronto, Auckland & Amsterdam
The report 'Understanding OPEN CIties' is one of 4 reports prepared in 2010 by the British Council. It is part of the OPEN Cities project, which aims to develop a robust understanding of the potential for cities seeking to embrace the opportunities presented by internationally mobile labour. The report focuses on the the main ingredients of an open city and the policies and strategies that need to be adopted in order to stimulate city openness.
Description
The abililty of a city to attract international populations over time is a key indicator of long-term city success. But when does a city have this ability? When is it really 'open'? According to the OPEN Cities proejct, an open city has:
•the capacity to accept change and new ideas;
•the capacity to be inclusive of difference;
•the willingness to look forward to new horizons and larger/far away objectives;
•the willinness to attract diversity and innovation;
•the application of low barriers of entry;
•the integration and participation of international populations.
The OPEN City project has also investigated how such an open city can be created. One of the most essential elements in this respect is leadership. City governments have to try to influence and persuade (international) firms, investors and people to locate and invest in their city. The creation of an open city requires strong cooperation among different partners.
http://www.eukn.org
Walk Score Launches Transit Score
When deciding where to live and work, not only do you want to know what amenities and services are nearby, you also want to understand your transportation options. How easily can you walk, bike or take the bus? How long will it take to get from point A to point B? And how much will it cost?
Today, Walk Score launched Transit Score, along with custom commute reports, and a home and transportation costs calculator, which together empower anyone to quickly understand the proximity of public transportation, their commuting options and associated costs. This work, funded in part by The Rockefeller Foundation, also enables third parties to easily add public transit information to their websites.
http://www.smartgrowth.org/news/article.asp?art=7764&res=1280
Cities holding the balance of power
The rise of megacities and innovation hubs is leading to a balance shift that will make cities, not nations, the most powerful drivers in the world economy, according to Parag Khanna.
"Just 100 cities account for 30 percent of the world's economy, and almost all its innovation. Many are world capitals that have evolved and adapted through centuries of dominance: London, New York, Paris. New York City's economy alone is larger than 46 of sub-Saharan Africa's economies combined. Hong Kong receives more tourists annually than all of India. These cities are the engines of globalization, and their enduring vibrancy lies in money, knowledge, and stability. They are today's true Global Cities.
At the same time, a new category of megacities is emerging around the world, dwarfing anything that has come before. A massive influx of people has not only spurred the growth of existing cities, but created new ones virtually from scratch on a scale not previously imagined, from the factory towns in China's Guangdong province to the artificial 'knowledge cities' rising in the Arabian desert. The defining feature of this new urban age will be megalopolises whose populations are measured in the tens of millions, with jagged skylines that stretch as far as the eye can see."
Khanna suggests that to truly understand the world today and where it's heading, one must look back more than a thousand years to the age of citystates.
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/08/16/beyond_city_limits
If Cities Focus on Walkable Communities, Economic Development Will Follow
With a third of metro area populations eager for pedestrian-friendly settings, a key path out of the recession leads through urban infill and walkable mixed-use redevelopment of car-dependent suburban malls and strips – some 10,000 now awaiting new life.
Meeting that pent-up market demand will take a generation, said Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program Visiting Fellow Christopher Leinberger at the fifth annual Louisiana Smart Growth Summit. Leinberger advised cities to combine transportation and affordable housing strategies to ensure the viability of walkable neighborhoods. He identified the roots of the housing bubble and the resultant crash as the imprudent ''overdevelopment of the 'drivable fringe,''' promoted despite tremendous infrastructure extension costs and through a $300-million annual subsidy in federal mortgage tax write-offs, reports Baton Rouge Advocate writer Chad Calder. http://www.smartgrowth.org/news/article.asp?art=7768
Campsites Commuters in London
Consistently ranked one of the worlds most expensive cities to live in, many of its workers are now forced to commute from the campsites encircling the city.
"Each morning at these sites the shower blocks teem with commuters washing, shaving and making themselves presentable for a hard day's graft in the big smoke," writes Helen Pidd.
Lucy Boggis, an heptathlete aspiring to the 2012 Olympics lives at the Lee Valley Campsite in Edmonton. She has been at the site, located next to an athletic center, since last September as she received no lottery funding.
In a caravan a few doors down from Boggis lives IT contractor Keith Davidson, who commutes to Canary Wharf each day. "I often get contracts down here. The main reason I stay here is because of the flexibility – if you rent a flat you often have to commit to six months or a year, whereas here you can come and go as you like," he said. http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2010/aug/16/london-commuters-living-under-canvas
UN General Assembly elects Joan Clos as new Executive Director of UN-HABITAT
The United Nations General Assembly today elected Joan Clos as the Executive Director of UN-HABITAT at the level of Under Secretary-General of the UN. He is expected to begin his tenure on 18 October for a period of four years.
The former Mayor of Barcelona, Joan Clos, has a long career in the Spanish Government both at the local and national level. Between 2006 and 2008, he was appointed Minister of Industry, Tourism and Trade in President José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero’s cabinet. Prior to this, between 1997 and 2006, Joan Clos served two terms as Mayor of Barcelona. He is currently Spain´s Ambassador to the Republics of Turkey and Azerbaijan.
On hearing the news, Joan Clos said he was honored to have been elected by the UN General Assembly as the new Executive Director of UN-HABITAT and thanked the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon for nominating him. "I am deeply committed to my new task and look forward to building on the achievements of my predecessor, Anna Tibaijuka. I am a long time believer in sustainable cities that practice participatory urban governance and which provide shelter and basic services for all," he said. "With over half of humanity now living in cities we must prioritize both urban poverty reduction and environmental sustainability, especially as there are now almost one billion slum dwellers. Through collaboration and partnership with governments, local authorities, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and all Habitat Agenda partners, our urban areas can be environmentally, economically and socially sustainable. I look forward to making my modest contribution to the future of cities."
Joan Clos succeeds Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka who has headed UN-HABITAT since it was formed in 2001 to replace the UN Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS). The agency is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all.
Municipalities and regions: organise an Energy Day during EU Sustainable Energy Week
The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) calls upon Europe's local and regional authorities to organise an Energy Day in the framework of the EU Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) from 11 to 15 April 2011.
Energy Day activities, which must promote energy efficiency, this edition's main theme, and more generally, renewable energy, can vary from exhibitions, conferences and online events to performances, workshops and media campaigns.
The main objective of the EUSEW is in line with CEMR's position, presented in its Response to the consultation on the future Energy Strategy for Europe 2011-2020, which underlines the importance of “empowering municipalities and regions to further develop successful energy policies”.
Towns, cities and regions can begin uploading their Energy Day initiatives starting September 2010. For more information on the EUSEW and to upload an initiative, please visit the official EU Sustainable Energy Week website. http://www.eusew.eu/
 |