Sometimes a photo is enough. Or in this case, a compilation of photos by @monsieurballard   ..read more

The Italian City of Bologna has found a fun way to incentive more sustainable transportation in cities – offering free beer, ice cream or cinema tickets to citizens who opt out of their cars and into the bus, on the bike or walking.  Urban planner Marco Amadori designed the Bella Mossa scheme in 2017, which makes use of the Better Points App.  Citizens sign up and track their travel, earning points along the way via sustainable transport choices.  Citizens can cash these points in for local rewards. Over 100 local businesses have joined the scheme, offering vouchers for cit ..read more

Clean air and clean water are the main things citizens want for their health and well being as residents in a sustainable city, according to a recent global survey conducted by WWF-Sweden. Clean air, however, has become a scarce commodity in our world as recently reported by the World Health Organization (WHO). Reduce pollution in cities If we combine this urgent health call, with our need to combat climate change, it boils down to the same solution – electrified vehicles and renewables instead of fossil fuels. Maybe we should start by changing our cities. Since this is where we encounter ..read more

**This is a guest blog post, written by Cynthia Menéndez, manager of WWF’s Sustainable Cities programme in México, including México’s participation in WWF’s One Planet City Challenge (or in Spanish: Desafío de Ciudades de WWF). Color, culture and diversity in Mexico’s largest city As one of the biggest cities in the world, Mexico City is full of life, color and culture. It is a diverse, vibrant city, with a growing number of people of different beliefs, religions and interests. It’s hard to be bored in this city, thanks to an endless offer of restaurants, museums and leisure activiti ..read more

“People don’t care about how much you know; until they know how much you care.” One of the best videos on climate change communication I’ve seen in a while! How to craft a message that resonates, beyond just presenting scientific fact? Featuring Pope Francis, Tea Party Republicans keen on energy independence to challenge the fossil fuel monopoly, artists in vulnerable communities and scientists that “speak from the heart,” this short video shares how to make climate change meaningful.   And then: what to then do about it? Well, that’s a different subject. One I try to feature in this blo ..read more

To be stuck in (car) traffic is stressful and annoying: running late to a meeting, to family, a concert or a conference. Argh! Yes, one could leave earlier; but why plan your life around a traffic report?! Driving does not offer independence or the joys of the open road in such circumstances. On the contrary, it feels nearly enslaving to be completely and utterly stuck. This escalates when societies prioritise this singular form of inefficient transport, paving giant highways in the name of progress… which also turn to parking lots every day at rush hour. Thankfully though, cities and cit ..read more

I love Stockholm life on a bicycle: for the exercise; for interactions with my city and fellow citizens; for the opportunity to witness ongoing changes in transport infrastructure – and improvements to cycle lanes. Not least for the chance to reflect on the splendour of autumn evenings. Below are a few thoughts from a recent bike ride home, pausing for a moment to enjoy a wonderful benefit of bicycle transportation: to stop spontaneously and absorb my city in all its glory. … Every single day, sometimes several times a day, I cycle up Slussen hill in Södermalm. With my ..read more

Budapest (population 1.7 million) is one of Europe’s most charming cities. It is divided by the Danube River, separating the city into the Buda hills and the Pest lowlands; eight bridges weave the two cities into one. It is home to lively city squares, walking streets, public markets, parks and gardens – becoming ever more common as its cosmopolitan citizens increasingly prioritise public life. Budapest is a city of breathtaking and detailed architecture in its centre, such as the beautiful Hungarian parliament that hugs the Danube or a host of ancient castles and churches, countered by d ..read more

The Danish capital Copenhagen (population 760,000) offers numerous inspiring examples of how to create a sustainable city. Currently it is developing a new waterfront city district, Nordhavn, transforming an industrial port into a modern residential and business district. While still under development, interesting parts of the district are nearing completion, for example the district parking garage, Lüders P-hus. As a proponent of city cycling, it may seem strange to advocate for such a project. But, this is no ordinary parking garage. Lüders does contain 485 parking spots to ac ..read more

In October 2016, 40000 people gathered in Quito, Ecuador, for the United Nations Habitat III Conference. Unlike other UN processes that focus on national government engagement, “H3” also saw 5000 city leaders make their voices heard, meeting in Quito and Bogotá (Colombia) at related local government events. They did so to ensure the final document adopted, the New Urban Agenda, would include a voice for local governments – as this will guide urban development for the next 20 years. Many articles explain H3’s significance, process and main issues. Citiscope, for example, dedicate ..read more