NEWS FROM THE URBAN WORLD - Most popular stories for October
Institutional News and Opinion Highlights
Local Action Counter reaches over 1750 cities! Register your city!
The Local Action Counter has reached to over 1750 cities, all working for sustainability!
World leaders will return to Rio de Janeiro for the Rio+20 conference, and we are showing them that cities are already taking action for sustainable development!
Is your city taking action?
Apply to be a Future City Leader!
ICLEI‘s Future City Leader initiative is a 2 year capacity building program for 21 selected young mayors and council members.
The capacity program includes networking among young leaders, interactions with partners and international organizations, and personal and professional capacity building, and is complemented by a program alumni network.
Liveable Cities Forum report is now online!
The Liveable Cities Forum, held 21-22 August in Montréal Canada, created a platform to share best practices on biodiversity management and application at the local level. The Forum also highlighted the importance of partnership building and presented instruments (such as the Singapore Index on Cities’ Biodiversity) that help to move the biodiversity agenda forward.
Urban Violence: a round-up as of autumn 2011
Urban violence is a subject that is particularly difficult to grasp for those who are directly or indirectly involved in implementing a local security or prevention policy, primarily because the concept is difficult to define. Indeed, the term ‘urban violence’ does not cover the same ground in every country, especially in legal terms.
World Habitat Day ceremony draws thousands
President Felipe Calderón Hinojosa on Monday opened the global commemoration of World Habitat Day in the Mexican city of Aguascalientes with a speech giving his full backing for the Cities and climate change theme of the occasion.
Satellites going local: 30 regions, cities and SMEs share good practice
This collection of selected end-user success stories is the first time Eurisy formalises its long-term research into operational experience of end-users with EO-, satnav- and satcom- applications, or even integrated applications in some cases.
African Mayors Climate Change Declaration - Congress report now launched!
The congress report of the African Mayors Climate Change Declaration summarizes the key highlights and outcomes of the Climate Congress in Lagos, held on the 21-22 September.
United Nations launches guidelines for eco-efficient and socially inclusive cities
The Guidelines for developing eco-efficient and socially inclusive infrastructure provide practical tools for city planners and decision-makers to reform urban planning and infrastructure design according to the principles of eco-efficiency and social inclusiveness.
Commission calls for more action on urban environment
The European Commission has pointed out that much remains to be done to improve the environment in cities. In its assessment of the 6th Environment Action Programme (6th EAP), the Commission finds that the programme significantly contributed to promoting additional measures, in particular under the thematic strategy on the urban environment.
World Urban Campaign: “Better Cities, Better Life”
The World Urban Campaign focuses on “Better Cities Better Life – a vision for Sustainable Urban Development”. You can become a partner of the Campaign if you would like to take part in a global network and coalition dedicated to policy debate and policy development, if you feel that one of your project deserves international attention or if you would like to know how other communities are dealing with issues that you have in your community
City entrepreneurs can drive economic recovery
EUROCITIES has issued a series of recommendations on improving European support to city entrepreneurs and small businesses.
Helping cities create a good climate for entrepreneurs will help drive economic recovery.
Cities Make Broad Cuts As Revenue Declines
A study by the National League of Cities says how the economic recession has finally started to hit cities as property- and income-tax have decreased. Cities are balancing their budgets through layoffs, canceled construction projects or raised fees.
Will your city be Europe’s Green Capital?
Does your city deserve European-wide recognition for its hard work in meeting the environmental challenges our society is facing? Should your city be considered a leading destination for green tourism and green industry in Europe?
City News Highlights
China's Ghost Malls
Thanks to massive projects fuelled by developers rather than retailers, and official efforts to spur a consumer economy, China is becoming home to massive, deserted malls.
'Parklets' Convert On-Street Parking to Social Gathering Spaces
A number of cities are piloting projects to transform on-street parking spaces into small retreats where pedestrians can relax and interact.
Dublin May Opt for BRT Over Rail Expansion
An expansion of Dublin's light rail system (DART) has been put on hold by Ireland's Transport Minister, who is ditching the idea in favor of a bus rapid transit system.
Turning Old Gas Stations into Good Urbanism
Aurash Khawarzad looks at three projects that turned crude into gold, as old gas stations are quickly updated into a movie theater, a cafe and a restaurant.
"Gas stations are many things," writes Khawarzad. "One thing they are not is good for cities."
What Would Happen If All Public Transportation Stopped?
The Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) released its 2011 Urban Mobility Report, which shows how many additional hours in traffic each commuter would be subject to if public transportation were discontinued.
Zero-Emissions Transportation Plan Proposed for Oberlin
The Center for Neighborhood Technology recently released a new roadmap for the city of Oberlin, which envisions a net-zero carbon emissions community by 2050.
India's Urban Population Forecasted To Double In The Next Twenty Years
The UN released new demographic projections Thursday that forecast India's urban population will more than double in the next thirty years. UN Under Secretary General Joan Clos said there is an urgent need to discuss urban issues in response.
Kyoto City establishes emissions trading system
Kyoto City has established an independent emissions trading system named “Do You Kyoto?”
Chinese Government "Cancels" the City of Chaohu
With no advance warning, residents of the large city of Chaohu were told on August 22nd that their city no longer existed. The city's land and people are now divided into 3 and incorporated into other nearby cities.
Dubai Creates A "Supreme Urban Planning Council" To Enact New Master Plan
The Dubai Executive Council has approved the Dubai Urban Development Master Plan 2020, and will establish a 'Supreme Urban Planning Council,' to streamline the process.
Increased bicycle use sees a decrease in accidents (Germany)
While bicycle use in German cities is increasing, the number of accidents involving cyclists is decreasing.
London's "Lego" Olympics
In order to lighten the footprint of the 2012 Olympics, Britain's architects and event planners are aiming to "reduce, reuse and recycle" venues so that they can be repurposed or taken down when the games are over.
Over $200 Million for Detroit Sustainable Communities Strategy
Detroit Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) has announced it plans to invest $30 million in five Detroit neighborhoods and leverage an estimated $200 million in additional investments.
Could a Commuter Tax on Chicago's Suburbanites Work?
Chicago aldermen are toying with just that idea, which would involve a one-percent income tax on those who work but don't live in the city. Hal Dardick reports on the discussion.
The Subway of the Future, Next Year
Communications Based Train Control (CBCT) will allow New York City's subways to run more efficiently than ever. But like with all service improvements, implementation will take some time and patience, write Josef Szende and Charles Komanoff.
Slow Growth in Cities May Have Lessened Foreclosures
Researchers found in their analysis of 300 California municipalities that the cities that had slow growth or anti-growth policies were less impacted by the housing crisis, writes Mark Bergen for Forbes.
London's Buses Hauls Twice as Many Riders Than The Tube
Surprisingly, London's bus network carries 6 million passengers to the Underground's 3 million. Facing serious cutbacks and fuel costs, Transport for London is working to reinvent the bus system.
Cities Reclaiming Alleys for Smart Growth Developments
A recent article by the Sightline Institute reports that backstreet alleys in some cities cover almost half as much space as all of the city's parks, squares, and existing pedestrian-oriented streets.
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To submit a news story to Urbanicity, contact Jeremy Flay
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