Conspiracy Theorists Discover the 15-Minute City

USA Today debunks the false claim that the United Nations’ call for enabling 15-minute cities is a coded plan to institute ‘climate change lockdowns.’

1 minute read

February 8, 2023, 6:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Writing in USA Today, Isabella Fertel fact-checks the conspiracy-minded claim that the concept of the 15-minute city is a global plot to create “climate change lockdowns.”

To be clear, the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development makes zero mentions of lockdowns or keeping people in their own neighborhoods. Rather, the 15-minute city is shorthand for the goal of making transit, jobs, healthcare, parks, and all the other amenities we come to expect from city life accessible to all residents within a 15-minute walk or bike ride. 

Carlos Moreno, who coined the concept, says “The core of the ‘15-minute city’ is an open city, a human city, an interconnected city.” Moreno adds, “Of course, all citizens are free to go where they want. There are no constraints.” Dan Luscher, founder of the 15-Minute City Project, says the concept is about promoting, not limiting, mobility.

Monday, February 6, 2023 in USA Today

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

For Lease painted on window of vacant commercial space.

2024: The Year in Zoning

Cities and states are leaning on zoning reform to help stem the housing crisis and create more affordable, livable neighborhoods.

January 8, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Sprawl

Research: Sprawl Linked to Poverty

Low-income families living in high-sprawl neighborhoods are limited in their access to education, jobs, and other amenities, often trapping them in a cycle of poverty.

January 6, 2025 - Science Blog

Cyclist on bike in green painted bike lane at intersection with three-story buildings in background.

NACTO Releases Updated Urban Bikeway Guide

The third edition of the nationally recognized road design guide includes detailed design advice for roads that prioritize safety and accessibility for all users.

January 8, 2025 - National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO)

Workers assembling a modular housing unit.

Modular Workforce Housing Offers a Lifeline for Western Towns

Rapidly rising housing costs are pushing out the residents at the heart of local economies in resort towns across the country.

7 hours ago - Marketplace

Close-up of "Residential Quiet Zone" sign.

Noise as a Public Health Hazard

New ways of measuring the effects of sound on human health are helping communities fight back against noise pollution.

January 15 - Reasons to Be Cheerful

Nighttime view of wildfire in Los Angeles hills.

'Place Shock' and the Ecology of Fear

How to conceive of rebuilding places amid sudden change in a region known for its “ecology of fear?” As the city embarks on the arduous task of rebuilding, the question arises: how do we reconcile the imperatives of safety and sustainability with the deeply ingrained human desire for continuity, for a sense of rootedness in the familiar?

January 15 - Resurgence: A Journey via Substack

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.