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URBANICITY UPDATE

43 new events for 2011 published this month at our online events calendar - far and away the most comprehensive in the world - please let us know if you have an urban related event you would like listed.

291 new subscribers to City Matters in December - pushing us through 120,000 worldwide for the first time.

61 urban news stories published this month - keep up to date with news as it happens

NEWS FROM THE URBAN WORLD - 20 most popular stories for January

Population churn in London’s 2012 hosting boroughs
The UK department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) carried out a study on population churn in five of London’s boroughs (Newham, Hackney, Waltham Forest, Tower Hamlets and Greenwich) hosting the Olympics. The main aim of the study is to examine the social-economic impact of population turnover and the potential effects of the 2012 Olympics on these boroughs.

Housing Booms in China, But Without Neighborhoods
China is building millions of housing units. But is the country building neighborhoods?
A new book suggests not, and offers ideas about how the booming Chinese housing market can create better places for its rising urban population to live.

Iran city reveals ICT masterplan
Isfahan, Iran’s second city and a global Islamic cultural hub, has set its sights on becoming the Republic’s leading ‘e-municipality’ and a regional e-government leader. The ancient city of 1.7 million people, which was once of the world’s largest cities, is four years into a five-year ICT masterplan to develop infrastructure and improve citizen services and government processes to boost competitiveness.

Did London Misjudge Demand for Bike Sharing?
In a review of the new bike sharing program in London, The Economist raises the question of whether the city wrongly predicted the existing demand for the service.

Remunicipalizing water – the return to public services
The Water Justice project has compiled examples of how communities in different parts of the world are moving from failed privatized water management to successful publicly managed water and wastewater services.

11 cities from Africa and Latin America benefit from the Fund for Local Cultural Governance
During the year 2010, UCLG created a Fund for Local Cultural Governance.
Promoted by the Committee on Culture, the World Secretariat of UCLG and the City of Barcelona and with the support of the Spanish Development Cooperation Agency (AECID), a call for proposals was set at 675 000 euro and opened projects for cities and local governements, direct or indirect members of UCLG, from countries in Africa, Ibero-America and the Mediterranean.

Cities to Supplant Nations as Drivers of Future World
Parag Khanna suggests that cities are the building blocks of humanity, and will take increasing control over the future shape of the world in the coming decades.

Application for the Post of Secretary General of UCLG
Deadline for applications: 1 March 2011
After six years of consolidation as the united voice of local and regional authorities worldwide, UCLG is looking for a new Secretary General to drive it into a new phase.

Examining the perspective of young homeless people in Europe
MOVISIE has been conducting the research ‘Combating Youth Homelessness’ with grants from Europe and the Ministry of Health. This is a 3 year, comparative research on young homeless people in Europe. The research was done in partnership with the youngsters.

New Forms of Urban and Metropolitan Governance
NeT-TOPIC is an URBACT project looking for new tools and approaches for managing urban transformation processes in intermediate cities. The project held last 1-2 October 2010 in Nanterre its third Thematic Seminar. The event, entitled "Enhancing new forms of urban and metropolitan governance" was focused on the point of view of peripheral intermediate cities located in metropolitan areas.

142 cities and counting: carbonn Cities Climate Registry an international success
The initial list of cities that signed the Global Cities Covenant on Climate (the Mexico City Pact) and committed to signing the carbonnCities Climate Registry (cCCR) is still growing, following its launch on 21 November.

First Urban Bicycling Study: Rush-Hour Bike Speeds Compare Favorably to Cars
Four French researchers recently released a study titled Characterizing the speed and paths of shared bicycles in Lyon, which focused on the results of a bike-sharing program in Lyon, France. Velo’v began in 2005 and became a massive bike-sharing effort offering 343 bike stations and about 4,000 bikes available across Lyon. The program now boasts an average of 16,000 trips a day.

The Impact of 'Top Cities' Lists
Countless publications have released listings of the "Top Cities" in a wide range of topics. They definitely get attention, but do they make a difference?

Cities Too Dangerous for Kids? Maybe Not
Cities are commonly thought of as dangerous places for kids to grow up. But a new study challenges that perception.
This post from Grist looks at the study from the University of Virginia, and discusses some of the reasons cities aren't as dangerous as they might seem.

India Plans 24 'Green' Cities
India, in partnership with Japan, is planning to build 24 "green" cities along a corridor between the major urban areas of Delhi and Mumbai.
The entire project is expected to cost nearly $90 billion.

The Language of Towns and Cities
Written by Dhiru Thadani, The Language of Towns and Cities has been dubbed an encyclopedia of city-shaping actions from the world’s most admired places. This is an 800-page compilation of urban success stories. The book provides illustrations of placemaking and how interior and exterior spaces have been created over centuries.

Cities and Biodiversity Case Study Series
A collection of eleven municipal best practices in urban biodiversity management and protection, and highlights local governments' contribution to sustainable use of biodiversity.

Five Technologies That Matter For Cities
Mobile broadband, government-sponsored cloud computing, smart devices - these are a few of the technologies that cities should be thinking about for the future, says the Institute for the Future in a new report.

First Urban Bicycling Study: Rush-Hour Bike Speeds Compare Favorably to Cars
Four French researchers recently released a study titled Characterizing the speed and paths of shared bicycles in Lyon, which focused on the results of a bike-sharing program in Lyon, France. Velo’v began in 2005 and became a massive bike-sharing effort offering 343 bike stations and about 4,000 bikes available across Lyon. The program now boasts an average of 16,000 trips a day.

The Future of Cities, Information, and Inclusion
The Institute for the Future has released a ten-year forecast map that charts the intersections between growing cities and new technologies. The Future of Cities, Information, and Inclusion map is a resource that could help planners and governments prepare cities for growth using new technologies.

To read the full stories and more news, please visit http://www.urbanicity.org/Site/News/default.aspx

To submit a news story to Urbanicity, contact Jeremy Flay

EVENT FEATURES

.Last days for Early Bird registration - Global City 2011
15-17 March 2011, Abu Dhabi

VISIONARY VALUES FOR SUSTAINABLE CITIES

Last days for Early Bird registration to attend Global City 2011, Abu Dhabi – the only international forum where public and private leaders meet to exchange best practice and share sustainable urban strategies.
Hosted by the Abu Dhabi Government and taking place 15-17 March 2011 at the Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, Global City in its 5th edition will focus on the integral role of values and identity in shaping successful, sustainable cities.
The conference programme, which is now complete, reflects the Abu Dhabi model of sustainability for cities, covering the four pillars of sustainable development: environment, culture, society, economy.
The four angles of sustainability have been summarized under the overarching title “Visionary Values for Sustainable Cities”

Highlights of GC11 include:
Opening keynote by Dr Jacques Attali on Cities and Economic Growth
The Leaders’ Panel – Mayors and CEOs from world cities discuss what it means to build a city identity
Masterclasses: Practical, interactive sessions with expert advisors on the role of branding and culture for city growth and prosperity – find your city’s DNA!
Site Visits to the most innovative and cutting edge projects in the United Arab Emirates! See for yourself what everyone is talking about!

GC11 is held under Under the Patronage of HH General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and is hosted by - Abu Dhabi Council for Economic Development - Municipality of Abu Dhabi - Department of Transport - Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council - Western Region Development Council.

Over 30 Mayors from all over the world have already confirmed their presence at Global City 2011, Abu Dhabi. Among the cities represented are: Ville De Luxembourg, Detroit, Phoenix, Cincinnati, Singapore, Copenhagen, Windsor, CA, Kampala, Rome, Ulanbataar, Selangor, Helsinki, Sarawak, Edinburgh, etc.

Book your seat among the world’s city leaders at a special early bird rate www.globalcityforum.com

Final Call for Registrations - 5th Annual City Development Conference

24th & 25th February 2011, New World Hotel Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam!

Don’t miss this opportunity to meet the line up of key international speakers and to network with a very niche and targeted group of delegates from across the world.

Follow your own agenda with a choice of six streams over 2 days:

Day One
Stream One: Urban Planning and Sustainable Development
Stream Two: Water, Drainage and Waste Management
Stream Three: City Investments

Day Two
Stream One: Transportation Infrastructure
Stream Two: Climate Change and Urban Risk Management
Stream Three: Real Estate Management and Development

Featuring international case studies from:

London 2012 Olympic • Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority, Cambodia (Winner, Stockholm Industry Water Award 2010) • Shanghai, China • Kuala Lumpur SMART Tunnel, Malaysia (Winner, British Construction Industry Award 2008) • Hartlepool, UK • Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam • Singapore City State • Jakarta, Indonesia • Mumbai, India • Hanoi, Vietnam • Chongqing, China • Japan International Cooperation Agency, Japan • Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre, Thailand • Typhoon Committee, WMO • Mekong Region •

Contact Cindy Cluny at CindyC@marcusevanskl.com or call +603 27236745 for registrations and full brochure

Call for Abstracts - RSA International Conference 2011

Regional development and policy – challenges, choices and recipients

This conference will take place at the University of Newcastle and the Civic Centre from 17th to 20th April 2011 and will include daily plenary, workshop and special roundtable sessions.

The challenges for regional development are intensifying. Long-term factors shaping the prospects for cities and regions include the effects of climate change and new demands on energy, water and food systems. Cities also face significant demographic shifts. Rapid technological changes – captured in the notion of an emerging Knowledge Economy – will also affect cities and regions. Moreover, we are witnessing significant changes in international political economy – encapsulated by the term globalisation – but increasingly understood as incorporating the rise of new economic powers, such as the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and, above all, China). The immediate context for thinking about these questions in many parts of the world is the aftermath of a severe economic crisis and a new politics of austerity.

Local, regional, national and international actors continue to search for new policy solutions at a time when traditional forms of governance are being tested and new forms of regional politics are emerging. In many parts of the world regional disparities are growing as more economic activity becomes concentrated in global city regions, posing questions about the future of cities and regions beyond the metropolis. In these austere times, some voices question the need for regional policy itself and public policy debates increasingly focus on these dilemmas.

We welcome papers from all – academics, students and those working in policy and practice. The event is inclusive and offers networking opportunities for all in our field. The organisers welcome proposals for special sessions, themed workshops and innovative forms of networking and collaboration.

If you would like to organise or offer a session to the conference please contact Lisa Bibby-Larsen at: events@rsa-ls.ac.uk and we will assist you.
For more information please go to: http://www.regional-studies-assoc.ac.uk/events/2011/april-newcastle/register.pdf

Final Call for Proposals - Ecocity World Summit 2011

ECOCITY WORLD SUMMIT 2011
LESS THAN A WEEK LEFT TO SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSALS ONLINE

Are you thinking of submitting a proposal to the Ecocity World Summit 2011? There’s no time to waste! The Call for Proposals deadline is January 31st.

The procedure is simple. Just go to the CALL FOR PROPOSALS section of the Summit web site, read the instructions, and click on SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL. The entirely-online submission process allows you to start your work, take a break, and come back to it later. We urge you to get your proposal in as soon as possible.

If you like, you may download the PDF version of the Call for Proposals. The document is easy to use and contains all the information you need!

Don’t hesitate to contact the Ecocity World Summit 2011 Secretariat with any questions.

Register Now – 5th Annual City Development
24th & 25th February 2011
New World Hotel Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

The 5th Annual City Development conference will be a one-stop platform that will encapsulate cutting-edge issues, strategic solutions, investment strategies, risk and return assessments and pertinent case studies in City
Development.

A vision of this scale can only be achieved by operationalising your ideas and experiences into action; so whether you are a driver or enabler towards City Development efforts and projects, you will find this highly anticipated 5th Annual City Development conference an excellent platform to network, exchange ideas, seek business opportunities and to tap into the experience of key industry leaders.
Don’t miss this opportunity to meet the line up of key international speakers and to network with a very niche and targeted group of delegates from across the world.

Follow your own agenda with a choice of six streams over 2 days:

Day One

Stream One: Urban Planning and Sustainable Development

Stream Two: Water, Drainage and Waste Management

Stream Three: City Investments

Day Two

Stream One: Transportation Infrastructure

Stream Two: Climate Change and Urban Risk Management

Stream Three: Real Estate Management and Development

Download the full event brochure, programme and registration form here

First Announcement - An International Workshop on Innovation, Diversity and Sustainable Development in Areas of Social Vulnerability

Center for Rebuilding Sustainable Communities after Disasters, University of Massachusetts Boston & Chair in Multiculturalism , University of São Paulo, Brazil
November 17-18, 2011

This workshop aims to discuss strategies for the empowerment of residents in the areas of social vulnerability and the implementation of public policies with a sustainable basis, in such areas. We are interested in examining the following issues, amongst others, and welcome papers/proposals related to them:

• Strategies for sustainable development in areas of social vulnerability
• Strategies for population empowerment and the elimination of humiliations connected to social vulnerability and/or gender, age, ethnic, race, sexual orientation and disabilities
• Children and youth care and empowerment in areas of social vulnerability
• Strategies for sustainable urbanization against flooding and other kind of disasters due to climate changes or lack of public policies
• Establishing indicators of social vulnerability and sustainable development
• Strategies for fundraising to assist in the development of vulnerable areas before and after disasters

Workshop participants – who should attend
We welcome interdisciplinary approaches and proposals presented by scholars, researchers, public policy makers, governmental representatives and Non-Governmental Organizations.

Workshop location - University of Massachusetts Boston, USA

For further information and registration: http://www.mccormack.umb.edu/centers/crscad/idsd.php or e-mail: crscad@umb.edu

Register Now – Global Greenbelts Conference

Policymakers and Planning Practitioners from Four Continents Converge March 2011 at Global Greenbelts Conference, Toronto, Canada

Don’t miss your chance to attend the first ever Global Greenbelts Conference from March 22nd to March 24th, 2011 at the Radisson Admiral Hotel in Toronto, Canada. Greenbelts: Local Solutions for Global Challenges mixes panel discussions and site visits to Ontario’s Greenbelt to highlight the potential of Greenbelts to help manage urban growth, sustain farming and the vibrancy of surrounding communities, protect valuable ecosystems, and conserve biodiversity.

Famed Canadian author, Margaret Atwood, is a keynote speaker during Greenbelts: Local Solutions for Global Challenges. Ms. Atwood, whose work has been published in over thirty-five countries, is the author of more than forty books of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and critical essays. She has strong views on environmental issues, evidenced in her latest novel, The Year of the Flood, and is a Joint Honourary President of the Rare Bird Club within BirdLife International. Ms. Atwood will be speaking on March 23rd.

The Conference will also hear from over forty-five speakers from nine countries across the globe, bringing a wealth of knowledge to Toronto,

To register for the Conference to learn more about the exciting initiatives occurring in these areas visit www.globalgreenbeltsconference.ca

REGISTER NOW - Euroheat & Power’s 35th Congress, Paris
Dates: 9 and 10 May 2011
Place : Venue: Maison de la Chimie, Paris, France.

In May 2011, energy experts, policy makers and professionals from the District Heating and District Cooling sectors will converge at the 35th biennial Euroheat & Power Congress and exhibition. Hosted by Euroheat & Power, and the French Associations Fedene and SNCU the theme of the congress is: Reduce, Recycle and Replace: Doubling District Heating Now!

Achieving the EU 2020 and 2050 energy goals requires adopting a systemic approach:

• reducing end-use,
• recycling energy that otherwise would be wasted,
• replacing fossil fuels.

The congress is an important reminder of the benefits and the potential that District heating and cooling offer, as modern, sustainable energy solutions. It will provide delegates with a unique platform for debating policy requirements, business models, customer value, marketing tools and much more. For more information on the programme: http://www.ehpcongress.org

Whether you are new to District Heating and Cooling or you are already familiar with its benefits, you will find the programme has something of interest for you.
The conference will provide a forum for professionals, academics and policymakers to convene, interact, network and share experiences. An exhibition, technical tours and social events will provide extra networking opportunities.

So don’t miss out! Register now: http://www.ehpcongress.org/registration.html

Call to Register - Counter Terror Expo 2011

Counter Terror Expo is the annual professional event delivering both focus and clarity to the complex and multifaceted task of protecting people and assets from those with the intent and determination to strike out.

The event brings the world's leading experts in the field from within government, the armed forces, security services, law enforcement and academia, together with industrialists at the cutting edge in developing the tools necessary to combat the scourge of terrorism.

Counter Terror Expo comprises a centrepiece conference programme, showcase exhibition and extensive programme of highly specialised workshops, which reflect the ever changing dynamics of the counter-terrorism world. To view the 2011 conference programme please visit www.counterterrorexpo.com/conf2011urban

Counter Terror Expo will be held next in the Grand Hall of the Olympia Exhibition & Conference Centre in London, 19-20 April, 2011.

Registration is now live. To Register for this event please visit www.counterterrorexpo.com/regurban

To place a conference feature in City Matters, please contact Jeremy Flay

EVENTS CALENDAR

February

New Partners for Smart Growth

Healthy Cities - an Asian perspective

Leading Cities to a Vibrant Economic Future: The Role of the Elected Official

Sustainable Urbanization: a resilient future

The City: 2nd International Conference -- Culture, Society, Technology

Local Climate Solutions for Africa Congress

Urban Transport World Australia

Enabling Smart City Frameworks

Affordable Housing Development Asia

5th Conference of the International Forum on Urbanism

5th Annual City Development

Green Cities 2011

GCD eBFC Conference

European Cities of Tomorrow. Amsterdam: Just City?

2nd International Urban Mental Health Conference

More February Events

March

Sister Cities International Conference 2011

SubTropical Cities 2011

1st Global Conference Urban Popcultures

3rd Annual Sustainable Urban Landscape Conference

Decentralisation and Urban Transformation in Asia

4th Conference on Global Preparedness

Reclaiming the City: Building a Just and Sustainable Future

International Greenbelts Conference

2nd Conference on Urban and Regional Planning

Velo-city 2011

Metropolis 2011

ECOWEEK 2011 Urban Communities and Green Architecture

Municipal Waste Management Forum 2011

City and Urban Development Summit 2011

More March Events

April

Sustainable Communities Start Here

World Congress of Metropolis

mobil.TUM 2011 Conference

World Congress and Mobility & City Transport Exhibition

EU Sustainable Energy Week

Regional Studies Association International Conference 2011

Counter Terror Expo 2011

The Changing Landscape of Community Development

Housing Forum Europe and Central Asia

Defining tomorrow’s city-port relationship

More April Events

May

Urban Development 2050

SCUPAD 11: Breaking Patterns, Changing Cities

Governance and Change on the Urban Fringe

Waste - the social context

Euroheat and Power

Urban Rail 2011

Creative City Summit 2011

Secured Cities

European and UK Sustainable Urban Drainage Conference

Urban Congestion 2011

Smart Mobility for Better Cities

2nd International Conference of Innovative Cities

REAL CORP 2010

ECOMM 2011

Conflict in Cities International Conference

Cities of the Future

APM-ATS 2011

Major Cities of Europe Conference

International Transport Forum

Dense Cities

More May events

For a full listing of forthcoming conferences, visit: Urbanicity Events

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