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Europe
One form of climate action gained major momentum in Europe over the weekend.
Reuters
New research ties pop up bike lanes implemented in Europe during the pandemic to increased levels of biking.
The New York Times
Dr. Rochelle Walensky sounded the alarm during the White House COVID-19 Response Team's press briefing on Monday, warning Americans that the pandemic trajectory in the United States is the same as in Europe. The latter is experiencing a third wave.
CIDRAP News
Brazil and the U.S. lead the world in daily COVID-19 cases and deaths. Western Europe is undergoing a third wave of infections, resulting in a new round of lockdowns, yet most of these nations are not among the 12 hotspots shown on a global tracker.
Bloomberg News
A coronavirus resurgence is spreading across much of Europe, forcing Italy into a new lockdown a year after it became the first Western country to resort to the drastic measure. The coronavirus has returned in the form of more transmissible variants.
The New York Times
The worst appears to be over, say most of the more than 20 experts who spoke with NPR's science editor, Rob Stein. If there is going to be a surge, it will be more like a ripple, he suggested. Not everyone agrees.
NPR
The concept, touted as "hyper-local," can fail to take into account local conditions and historical inequities in American cities.
Bloomberg CityLab
The White House COVID-19 Response Team explains why governors are wrong to lift mask mandates and ease restrictions by putting the current level of coronavirus infections in the country in perspective, i.e., comparing it to the two prior surges.
The White House
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo approved a new plan to revitalize the Champs Élysées ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics.
The Guardian
The European outlier of Sweden was embraced by American conservatives as an example of a government relying not on heavy-handed business and social restrictions but voluntary compliance by individuals to reduce viral spread. No longer.
The Washington Post
Rather than trying to meet all of a community's needs within a one-minute radius, Sweden's Street Moves pilot program gives residents the power to decide how street space gets used.
Bloomberg CityLab
With a diameter longer than two football fields, a new wind turbine design promises to revolutionize the wind energy industry.
The New York Times
The latest City Beautiful video shows off the fruits of car-free initiatives in European cities.
City Beautiful
Beginning Dec. 16, all of Germany will be subject to stricter coronavirus restrictions to reduce infections following a meeting with the chancellor and the 16 state governors. Schools will close and restaurants will be confined to take-out service.
Associated Press
A study published by a German researcher adds ammunition to the cause of improving housing affordability by legalizing and building new supply.
City Observatory
Mayor Ada Colau announced the next step in Barcelona's plan to convert the city center into a "new city for the present and the future."
Bloomberg CityLab
Expecting a dark winter, conferences are being canceled worldwide, putting millions of jobs at risk.
Cities of the Future
The day after Election Day in America, the U.K. Parliament voted overwhelmingly to impose a 4-week lockdown in England to ensure that nation's prized healthcare system doesn't collapse due to treating mounting coronavirus infections.
The Independent
COVID-19 is leading an exodus to rural areas, according to this article. The shift could hurt the economies of cities, but it also presents opportunities for younger residents and people looking for a more sustainable lifestyle.
Cities of the Future
The medical community is sounding the alarm in North Dakota, where hospitals are overwhelmed with COVID patients. With the governor opposed to issuing a statewide mask mandate, physicians are asking local governments and the public for help.
Grand Forks Herald
