Europe

Over the last 70 years, sprawl has rapidly taken over much of Switzerland, not just in suburban areas around cities, but also in the country's famous Alps.

Park planners from Denmark recently toured some of New York's parks and found much to be jealous of.

Writing from the Connected Urban Development conference in Amsterdam, reporter Scott Smith says that "the sustainable future will be a networked future."

Spain's booming construction industry was fuelled by immigrant workers, who were encouraged to come to Spain. The economic crisis has now stalled many of those construction projects.

Norway's carbon emissions have increased 15% since imposing a carbon tax in 1991, unlike neighbor's Sweden and Denmark where emissions decreased with their carbon taxes. Unlike the oil industry which became carbon-lean, Norway's drivers didn't change

Paris has invested big in Le Mobilien, its version of Bus Rapid Transit. Streetsblog has a short video profiling the system.

Prague is building on prosperity and tourism by creating new public-private spaces for shopping and entertainment. Detractors are concerned that they are destroying real public space, and are paired with greater control on unwanted users.

City Cargo of Amsterdam has developed a fleet of non-polluting vehicles to deliver cargo via the city's unused streetcar tracks. Their aim is to cut the number of trucks going into the city by 50%.

A landscape architect from M.I.T. is proposing to create a whole new ecosystem to address water pollution problems in Italy.

In Salemi, Italy, 3000 villas ravaged in a 1968 earthquake are now on the market for about U.S.$1.41. However, interested buyers must adhere to a number of stipulations, including a two-year deadline for development.

Using Milan as a model, Inverness, Scotland has lofty plans for its Old Town. To achieve them, asserts one local historian, the city must get creative--and more optimistic--in meetings its challenges.

A committee in the European Parliament endorsed a plan that calls for 10% of transportation fuels to come from sources such as plants and grains by 2020, but it also calls for a switch to other renewable sources over time.

Activists are fighting to keep the bank of the Spree River accessible as a two multi-billion Euro projects move in.

A new report is warning that aging populations and declining birthrates will bring a demographic disaster to most of Europe within a generation.

New research can serve to explain why it is more expensive to purchase a house in the summer--and why it might be worth it.

Stinky trains may become a thing of the past in Berlin, where officials are sniff-testing new fragrances to mask the odors of public transit.

Corrupt and inconsistent mob-controlled garbage collection in Naples, Italy, has left the city swimming in uncollected trash and with little hope of a resolution.

The U.K. is seeing a significant leap in students applying for architecture degrees, possibly due to the rise in interest in sustainability around the world. Some worry that growing programs could impact the quality of education.

A new study ranks European cities on their brand, taking into a account sense of place, civic pride, and business climate. Paris ranks first (no surprise), but the research also reveals a handful of 'undervalued' cities.

In Prague, where graffiti is rampant, an art gallery has secured outdoor wallspace throughout the city and invited graffiti artists to use it as a canvas for 12 days.