Urban Villages’ Post

Far too many cities are waiting for a disaster — a heat wave when the power grid goes down, a major flooding event — only planning to clean up afterwards. But there are cities that are looking ahead. While some are using AI to prevent wildfires or white paint to reflect the heat on streets and rooftops, many others are deploying trees and plants, green space, even vacant lots — efforts collectively known as nature-based solutions — to not only mitigate climate change, but improve quality of life for urban residents. What does it mean to take nature seriously in a city? Here are a few examples:   * A South Asian city that has 3,000 acres dedicated to biodiversity and rare and endangered species * A Baltic city that is not only preserving half its land area as nature but adding more green to its streetscapes * An American city that is spending $400 million on new parks * A South American city with a network of sustainability activists, some of whom are using green roofs to address climate change * And a U.K. city where a public-private partnership is rewilding city parks. These are bold efforts to bring nature back into the urban environment and they set examples of the commitment needed from local government and private citizens to both address extreme weather and enhance the livability of urban life. https://lnkd.in/ewFJ2Rsc

Climate Solution: Tear Down Urban Highways. Put Up Safe Walkable Neighborhoods. by Adam Braus Are you ready to challenge conventional wisdom? This episode is a journey into unexpected climate change solutions. We're shaking things up by talking about deconstructing highways and replacing them with multi-use neighborhoods. Imagine a world where highways, traditionally seen as symbols of progress, are torn down to make way for sustainable, human-scale neighborhoods that breathe […] #boomers #babyboomers

"We don't need to stay chained to what city planners believed would be a good life, decades before I was born, before any of us knew how the climate would change. We don't need to lock ourselves into their mistakes for another half-century, all for the sake of a status quo we can't keep anyway. Climate denialism doesn't always feel like denial; it can feel like just the way things are done." A powerful op-ed in today's Star Tribune that perfectly encapsulates the significance of this moment and the opportunity that MnDOT's Rethinking I-94 project represents. #climatechange #transportation #urbanplanning #environmentaljustice https://lnkd.in/gYg4C22w

Today, our report is released, Climate-ready homes: building the case for a renovation wave in Australia. Thank you to Assistant Minister Jenny McAllistair for attending on the last & busy sitting day in Parliament. In this report, we reveal: - the makeup of Australia’s existing residential building stock. - Identify the most prevalent types of homes and their construction - 3 pathways to upgrade existing homes to be net zero: ‘quick-fix’, ‘modest’, and ‘climate-ready’, with practical renovations to a homes outer shell, electrification of gas appliances, to optimise the benefits of rooftop solar - homes in all climate zones can achieve net zero cost-effectively, but policy support is needed for some households to achieve the ‘climate-ready’ pathway to cuts emissions and reduces peak demand on the electricity grid Q. Which home archetype do you live in? Q. Which pathway will you choose? Our research is the result of guidance by expert stakeholders, support from our funders, engagement wider an amazing sustainbility ecosphere, and of course collaborating with our two research partners - energy efficiency experts at CSIRO and energy & economic researchers at SPR. My co-authors: Winnie Panczel & Tim Graham And fantastic support & guidance from Margot Delafoulhouze Joshua Danahay Josh Solomonsz Allison Courtin Amrit Bhabra Sophie Stefanakis Caroline Andrzejewski We also have an article in The Conversation AU today too: https://lnkd.in/g27XYQDx

Our cities aren’t just concrete jungles. Every blade of grass, every tree, pond, lake and soil together form vital infrastructure. As cities face increasing threats from climate change – including heavy rainfall and extreme heat events – they need to fully understand this natural infrastructure and how to enhance it. Our Sponge Cities Snapshot analyzes the ‘sponginess’ of major urban centers, such as New York, to get cities thinking about nature as an asset and as infrastructure that can help create more resilient communities. Explore the Snapshot here: https://bit.ly/3EMBLz9 #ClimateWeekNYC

Climate One | More than half of Americans surveyed by YouGov want a 15-minute city. So how can we develop our urban spaces to be more compact, walkable, and convenient… #SDGs #HybridWorkplace #WFH #WFA #EBikes #WalkableUrbanism #20MinuteNeighbourhoods #TimelessUrbanism #COVID19

The rising demand for micromobility trends aligns with efforts to promote eco-friendly transit in Tampa, which has been recognized among the top 20 best U.S. metros for transportation climate performance. As urban areas strive to shift away from car-centric cityscapes, fostering walkable communities that offer residents the choice of greener alternatives is among the first steps. Tampa is continuing to develop, and we are seeing a focus on improving transportation for the city. https://lnkd.in/eXDG_v2Z

Learned about this organization during a Climatebase session on the buildings + smart cities week. https://lnkd.in/g_XQKhDz

As the world now gathers for #NYClimateWeek around the #UNGeneralAssembly, we urge city leaders, urban developers, and capital stakeholders to step up and join us in our quest to create greener, healthier, equitable and livable #cities.   🚗 Did you know long urban commutes are linked to higher levels of stress and reduced productivity? 💨 Or that roughly 99% of the global population is breathing air that exceeds WHO air quality limits?   It’s becoming clearer to that the 20th century model of #urbanplanning is no longer fit for purpose.   In this article, our CEO Claus Mathisen and C40 Cities' CEO Mark Watts unfold why we collaborate on supporting cities to turn the #15minutecities into reality. A compact and resource-efficient urban planning model, which combines co-location of residences and jobs, mixed land use and good access to public transport – estimated to help cut urban emissions by 25 percent ❗    Read the full opinion piece on the major opportunity to transform the world’s cities for the better, just published by SmartCitiesWorld - access is free! ⬇️

Urban tree data webinar with 3 speakers on cooling effects and the UK tree canopy, amongst other things. I've signed up to listen. Free. #trees #environment #arboriculture #climatechange #climate