Europe

Smog

App Provides Real-Time Air Quality Data for Paris

Paris has made some incredibly ambitious and highly controversial policy changes to improve the city's air quality. In the meantime, there's a new app from Valeo to determine the state of the air quality in the city.

December 28, 2018 - CleanTechnica

Oslo Street

In Oslo, Streets for People, Not Cars

New measures will greatly reduce vehicle traffic in the city center as Oslo moves to put pedestrians, cyclists, and air quality before cars.

December 25, 2018 - The New York Times

Copenhagen Street

These Streets Were Made for Walking

Many streets and cities are designed for vehicles instead of for pedestrians. But policies and programs in cities around the world, and even in the United States, might be signaling a shift in priorities.

December 21, 2018 - The New York Times

Dundee, Scotland

The Best Architecture of 2018 (From the Other Side of the Atlantic)

The Guardian's list of architecture's best in 2018.

December 20, 2018 - The Guardian

Climate Change Conference

Implementing the Paris Climate Agreement in Katowice, Poland

Representatives from nearly 200 nations have been attending the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Katowice since Dec. 2 to work on implementing the 2015 Paris climate agreement. Scheduled to end Friday, it will be extended two days due to discord.

December 17, 2018 - The Independent

General Court

EU Commission 'License to Pollute' overturned by top European court

The General Court of the European Union upholds action brought by cities: annuls in part the European Commission’s regulation setting excessively high NOx emission limits tests introduced following Dieselgate scandal

December 15, 2018 - Cities of the Future

Subway Station

Athens Fights Rising Temperatures

At the recent Smart Cities Conference in Barcelona, Mayor Kaminis of Athens highlighted how the city is helping residents survive the increasingly hot summers in the Greek capital.

December 14, 2018 - Cities of the Future

Hoover Boards and Bus Transit

Cities Need to Create Level Playing Fields For New Mobility (That Tilt Towards Community Goals)

The new mobility landscape requires a few key roles from government.

December 12, 2018 - Urbanism Next Blog - Sustainable Cities Initiative

Arctic Mining Town

Massive Mine Encroaching on Swedish City

The Swedish city of Kiruna will have to move after one of the world's largest iron mines opens a crack in the earth that is spreading straight for the city.

December 11, 2018 - The Guardian

Carbon Tax

Major Increase in Global Carbon Emissions Projected for 2018

The report from the Global Carbon Project, an international group of scientists who track greenhouse gas emissions, comes as a surprise as emissions had been relatively flat for the last four years. Global emissions this year will increase 2.7%.

December 7, 2018 - The New York Times

European City

Free Transit for All in Luxembourg

Luxembourg will put their money where their mouth is when it comes to cleaning the environment and providing an alternative to congested car commutes.

December 7, 2018 - The Guardian

Macron Protest

President Macron Acquiesces to Yellow Vests' Demands on Fuel Tax Hike

Despite statements to the contrary just a week ago, Macron reversed position and caved to the demonstrators' demands that upcoming fuel tax hikes be suspended.

December 5, 2018 - CityLab

Macron Protest

France Drops Road Tolling Plans Amid Fuel Tax Protests

Controversial London-style congestion pricing won't be coming to French cities due to concerns sparked by the 'Yellow Vest' protests over an upcoming fuel tax hike, but President Macron stated the fuel tax increases will go forward in January.

November 30, 2018 - Reuters

Portland, Oregon

Planning a Successful Neighborhood Square

Insight from Barcelona and Portland on how to plan and design an active, welcoming neighborhood square.

November 29, 2018 - The Western Planner

Macron Protest

Fuel Tax Hike Revolt Threatens French President Macron's Leadership

Anger at fuel tax increases planned for January, part of a pro-Green agenda espoused by President Emmanuel Macron, has sparked a populous movement involving hundreds of thousands of protestors that have taken to the streets, erupting into violence.

November 26, 2018 - CityLab

Champs-Elysees and Arc de Triomphe

French Suburbs Join Paris in Diesel Ban

The ban on diesel cars now extends well beyond the city of Paris.

November 20, 2018 - CityLab

48 Global Cities Work on Regulatory Framework for Digital Platforms

During the Sharing Cities Summit 2018, cities such as Amsterdam, Barcelona, Lisbon, Madrid, Montreal, New York, Paris, São Paulo, Seoul, Singapore, Stockholm, and Vienna agreed on a Declaration of Principles and Commitments of the Sharing Cities.

November 16, 2018 - Cities of the Future

Smart Cities World Congress Opens its Biggest Event

Organized by Fira de Barcelona at its Gran Via venue, the event is the largest to date, with over 840 exhibiting companies, 700 attending cities and a 31% increase regarding exhibition space, occupying two pavilions for the first time.

November 14, 2018 - Cities of the Future

Autonomous Vehicles

TEDx: How Will Autonomous Vehicles Transform Cities?

Nico Larco presents a TEDx Talk on the impacts AVs will have on cities, including impacts on land use, land valuation, and the environment. AVs are more than just a transportation issue, and planners need to prepare for the coming changes.

November 1, 2018 - TEDx Talk

Houten Train Station

The Trains of the Future Could Provide Much More Than Mobility

Renderings of Dutch trains imagine a variety of seating styles for a variety of activities, including working, socializing, and relaxing.

October 30, 2018 - Pop-Up City

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.