How hard is it to make a city more sustainable? Would you like to try?

Now you can. You can take total control of a city’s energy, transport and waste investments and see what the outcome is.

Sound too good to be true? Well ok, you can’t literally do it. But you can try the excellent SymbioCity Scenarios simulation. (more…)

Newcastle has been ranked as Britain’s most Sustainable City 2009 by Forum for the Future, a UK based sustainable development organisation.

Newcastle?! In the heart of the industrial North East? Home to the expression Selling Coal to Newcastle? Can it be true?

I’m doubtful…let’s look at why Forum for the Future rank Newcastle first. (more…)

Have you wondered why some cities have large numbers of people cycling and others don’t?

Is it the climate? Something in the local psyche?  Or simply chance?

I don’t think so. I think it is mostly about design. Bogota, the capital of Columbia,  gives a nice example of a city that tried to design for bicycles and bicyclists.

Can we learn from Bogota’s experience? (more…)

I wrote earlier about the World’s Happiest Places, and how I think cities like Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Malmo are key. Well Forbes have now released a new survey on the top 10 World’s Happiest Cities.  So what are they and why are they? (more…)

Have you read the Melbourne Principles for Sustainable Cities? They are a set of 10 principles that “Guide thinking and provide a strategic framework….allow cities to develop sustainable solutions…bring together citizens and decision-makers”.

I like them. For example, principle 7 is to “Empower people and foster participation” – a noble aspiration for any city.

But I do have one small criticism. (more…)

What does Barack Obama think of cities?  Does he wish to make our cities for people and less for cars? Does President Obama believe that sustainable city development is priority, given the magnitude of the other tasks that lie in wait for him?

Well, I think the initial signs are good. (more…)