News

27.03.2008
“The Imagine methodology allows cities to work on their own perceptions of sustainability”
“The Imagine methodology allows cities to work on their own perceptions of sustainability,” says Simon Bell, director of Bayswater Institute. The Institute helps organisations to integrate human and social considerations with economic, structural and...read more

26.03.2008
Learning from losers: the benefits of studying worst practices
Everyone is interested in best practices and indeed, much can be learned from them. However, in their article 'learning from losers', Katherine Barrett and Richard Greene, make a case for the establishment of a centre to study worst practice. "There ...read more

20.03.2008
CEMR calls for better coordination of sustainable urban mobility
On March 17 the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) published its response to the consultation on the European Commission's green paper 'Towards a new culture for urban mobility' of September 2007. The CEMR agrees that the EU should...read more

20.03.2008
Mayor sets out his priorities for women at London Capital Woman event
The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone underlined his top priorities for London’s 3.1 million women at the Capital Woman conference that took place on Saturday March 8th. Proposed action includes a new initiative for safer street lights, more policing ...read more

18.03.2008
The 25 dirtiest cities in the world
Many cities will be happy to be on 'top 25' lists, but in this case, reactions might be less cheerful. On the basis of the 2007 Health and Sanitation Rankings published by Mercer Human Resource Consulting, Forbes magazine identified the top 25 of the...read more

17.03.2008
Moscow and Istanbul 2008's top real estate markets in Europe
According to the real estate forecast 'Emerging trends in real estate Europe 2008', conducted by the Urban Land Institute (UIL) and PricewaterhouseCoopers, Moscow and Istanbul are ranked first and second respectively among this year's top real estate...read more

12.03.2008
"The supply of social housing does not meet changing demand across Europe"
"The supply of social housing does not meet changing demand across Europe", says Darinka Czischke, research director at Cecodhas, the European Liaison Committee for Social Housing. Since 2004 Czischke has been responsible for the development of the C...read more

07.03.2008
Suburbs may be the next slums
As urban living in the United States has gained increased popularity, experts predict that many suburbs will become characterised by poverty, crime and decay in the near future. While cities declined in the 1960s due to a loss of inhabitants to the w...read more

06.03.2008
Second Istanbul to minimise earthquake damage?
Istanbul is a city which faces a high earthquake risk. Because of its location near the North Anatolian fault line, several earthquakes have hit the city over the centuries, and another major one is expected to strike the city region by 2025. Making ...read more

26.02.2008
“Local governments increasingly have to function within a multi-level European environment"
“Local governments increasingly have to function within a multi-level European environment”. As a result, new modes of co-operation, co-ordination and interaction between local, national and European authorities are needed. Prof. Dr. Joachim J. Hesse...read more

22.02.2008
Plastic bags under control?
ACR+, the Association of Cities and Regions for Recycling and sustainable Resource management, has published the 2008 update of its report entitled " Plastic Bags - Policies and Practices to Reduce Consumption". The report, first issued in January 20...read more

22.02.2008
UN launches public transport campaign
Public transport operators are teaming up with the United Nations in a campaign to encourage people to leave their cars at home and take the bus, metro, train or tram instead. The International Association of Public Transport (UITP ) and the United N...read more

14.02.2008
European Commission presents policy priorities for 2009
On February 13 the European Commission presented its Annual Policy Strategy setting out its political priorities for 2009. It outlines the Commission's policy objectives in five priority areas: growth and jobs, climate change and sustainable Europe, ...read more

12.02.2008
Luc Van den Brande elected President of Committee of the Regions
On 6 February 2008, Belgian politician Luc Van den Brande was elected as President of the EU's Committee of the Regions. He is the eighth President of the political assembly, which gives local and regional government representatives a voice in Europe...read more

12.02.2008
New Deal for Communities is turning around England’s most deprived areas
According to a recent report of the Centre for Regional, Economic & Social Research at Sheffield Hallam University, the UK Government's £2bn New Deal for Communities (NDC) programme is delivering real improvements to people's lives, raising satisfact...read more

06.02.2008
Local councils in the UK help immigrants 'fit in'
The UK government has started a new initiative to help migrants fit in their new communities. According to community secretary Hazel Blears newcomers should receive help from local councils to make it easier for them to adapt to their new environment...read more

05.02.2008
London launches world's largest 'low-emission zone'
Trucks driving around the UK capital will be fined up to £200 per day if they are found to be over EU pollution standards in an attempt to improve the city's poor air quality. The initiative will be closely watched in Brussels as the Commission is cu...read more

05.02.2008
America´s Most Miserable Cities
Research shows that many Americans have to live in miserable cities. The economic indicator most often used to measure misery is the Misery Index. A Misery Score also exists, which is the sum of corporate, personal, employer and sales taxes in differ...read more

04.02.2008
Public transport company in Odense introduces SMS-ticket
For the first time in Denmark it is possible to buy your ticket to the bus with your mobile phone. The public transport company FynBus entered the world of technology by launching the SMS-ticket. Passengers in the city buses as well as in the regiona...read more

04.02.2008
Ten European cities sign up to environmental campaign
After leaders from ten European cities launched a covenant to address climate protection, mayors from other cites are asked to join them. This initiative encourages European cities and towns to act in the field of climate protection, and is an import...read more