The EU’s bid for leadership in green technologies will focus on developing a network of “smart cities” to demonstrate renewable and other low-carbon energies in Europe. The recommendations are featured in a draft communication setting out funding for the EU’s Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan). The EU executive is concerned that Europe is investing [...]

Whether it’s bike polo, urban golf or scaling public buildings, interesting new urban sports are leaving a distinctive mark on German cityscapes. The metropolitan antics add a twist to traditional sports — and may be cropping up on stretch of tarmac near you soon. The Wassertorplatz in Berlin’s Kreuzberg district is full of black bicycle [...]

When it comes to issues of sustainability, much of the focus will be on the world’s cities. With more than half of the world’s population now living in cities, they are responsible for 80pc of the world’s carbon emissions. If we are to tackle climate change, urban centres are a natural starting point.
Urbanisation is a [...]

A new report ranks ten leading world cities on their greenhouse gas emissions. It also examines how and why the emissions differ.As the report says, over 50% of the worlds population lives in urban areas. Leading cities of the world, global cities, are the places where greenhouse gas emissions really need to be cut. The [...]

World city information leaders will convene in Seoul to share ideas about establishing world e-governments, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced yesterday. Over 1,000 chief information officers, digital governance and IT experts, figures from academic, public and private sectors from 42 cities in the world will participate. The theme is “World Cities CIO Forum: Forming the [...]

With so many different destinations and resorts to choose from, the Mercer 2009 Quality of Living survey has outlined some of the world’s best locations to live and enjoy a vacation rental.Online PR News – 21-September-2009 – As 215 of the world’s cities are covered by the survey, it is not an entirely representative study, [...]

From Publishers WeeklyStarred Review. While the conventional wisdom condemns it as an environmental nightmare, Manhattan is by far the greenest place in America, argues this stimulating eco-urbanist manifesto. According to Owen Sheetrock and Shellac, staff writer at the New Yorker, New York City is a model of sustainability: its extreme density and compactness—and horrifically congested [...]

Clout St: Obamas host Chicago 2016 Olympics pep rally at White House.

President Barack Obama says the whole country is rooting for his hometown of Chicago in its efforts to host the 2016 Olympics.
If Chicago wins its bid, Obama says the city “will make America proud and America will make the world proud.”
Obama held an Olympic [...]

And so, you know, were actually making it possible for people to stop and enjoy and catch up on e-mail, have that cup of coffee, meet a friend and really have a more inviting place to do so. And I think thats very much in line with what cities across the world around doing. You [...]

Plans to construct “eco-cities” around the world were stunted by the recession. With economies slowly getting back on track, green developments are again luring governments and investors.