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In the dominant cultural imaginary of growth societies, this figure of the growth subject is powerfully gendered: it is coded as masculine.
The UK energy system has changed dramatically in the last two decades, with coal usage plummeting and big opportunities for renewables. But the country needs to go full speed ahead with renewable solutions to tackle the climate crisis and lower bills
Parks, trees, green roofs and gardens are what scientists call nature-based solutions to cooling overheated cities. Then there are the technical solutions, solar panels, heat pumps and other ways of cutting fossil fuel use. But even all these combined are not enough to reach the goal of net zero carbon emissions.
A key element of “just transitions” to sustainability and climate resilience is ensuring that mitigation and adaptation measures do not adversely affect those least able to cope or afford to change their behaviour. Locally appropriate public policy interventions are required in each case to bridge such gaps and, in the words of the UN’s Agenda 2030, “leave no one behind”.
Over the past year and a half we’ve gone on a shared journey to discover how Europe’s cities are evolving to meet the challenges of our rapidly changing world. In our first chapter, focused on the quality of urban life, we went to Rome to explore the turn-of-the-century communities that inspired the modern 15-minute city concept, and to Vienna to learn about the city’s brilliant social housing model.
Nature can play an important role in creating urban resilience in the face of climate change. Photo: nextbike/Unsplash There is no question that for the world to successfully slow and mitigate the effects of climate change, cities will need to transform. Currently, urban areas consume 78% of the world’s energy supply and produce over 60% of global greenhouse…
As historic as the conference may have been, much remains to be done to strengthen the degrowth paradigm and avoid its co-option by institutional politicians of all stripes, but also to create a genuine dynamic for transformation.
Held in the EU Parliament from May 15 to 17, the Beyond Growth conference was in many ways a watershed for the burgeoning degrowth movement. But increased visibility comes with the risk of co-optation, argues post-growth scholar Seán Fearon.
Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, made her way to the podium. The hemicycle was brewing with hushed excitement. The opening speech of the opening day of the largest-ever gathering of Europe’s degrowth community was about to get underway.
Nomadisch Grün (Nomadic Green) launched Prinzessinnengärten (Princess gardens) as a pilot project in the summer of 2009 at Moritzplatz in Berlin Kreuzberg, a site which had been a wasteland for over half a century. Along with friends, activists and neighbours, the group cleared away rubbish, built transportable organic vegetable plots and reaped the first fruits of their labour.
The Paris city council has decided to impose a prohibition on the construction of high-rise buildings, occasioned by backlash from the construction of the controversial Tour Triangle.
As part of a new urbanism plan for a “bio-climatic” city, officials hope to plant species that will be more resistant to heat.
The Croatian town of Šibenik has created a tiered tax system for citizens who regularly recycle their waste. The tax cuts should serve as an incentive for people, as well as a path towards a sustainab..
It’s a long road to building a new way of imagining life in the countryside. We are pleased to share with you ARC2020's findings from the field in France: “Nos Campagnes en Résilience: Collective Reflections within Socio-Ecological Transition, 2020-2022” . Here we report on the journey so far for the people involved in this project, with an extract from the first chapter of the report: A Collective Adventure. By the “Nos Campagnes en Résilience” team. It’s a long road to building a new way of imagining life in the countryside. We are pleased to share with you ARC2020's findings from the field in France: “Nos Campagnes en Résilience: Collective Reflections within Socio-Ecological Transition, 2020-2022” . Our analysis spotlights eight ingredients of socio-ecological transition that we have observed on the ground. Here we report on the journey so far for the people involved in this project, with an extract from the first chapter of the report: A Collective Adventure. By the “Nos Campagnes en Résilience” team.
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A new study suggests that greener cities not only reduce carbon emissions, they also can absorb them.
Nature-based solutions (NBS) are essential for carbon-neutral cities, yet how to effectively allocate them remains a question. Carbon neutrality requires city-led climate action plans that incorporate both indirect and direct contributions of NBS. Here we assessed the carbon emissions mitigation potential of NBS in European cities, focusing particularly on commonly overlooked indirect pathways, for example, human behavioural interventions and resource savings.
Until not so long ago, conceiving and creating public space seemed the exclusive domain of governments and designers. Nowadays, they must increasingly take into account citizens, who long for more control over their living environment. Why is this an important development?
The beginning of July marked the planet’s hottest week in recorded history, with the average global temperature reaching 17.01 degrees Celsius for the first time.
That kind of extreme heat can create major problems for cities: As urban populations switch on air conditioners and fans to keep cool, power grids can struggle to cope with the massive spikes in demand.
This week we take a closer look at that challenge and how cities are coping with it.
Report on the EU Critical Raw Materials Act: Circular economy increases security of supply of raw materials for the green transformation
On this episode, Nate is joined by climate scientist Kevin Anderson to discuss the possible paths of averting severe climate outcomes and how this is interconnected with equity.
Scientists have an ‘excellent’ idea for combating the capital of Catalonia's heat island effect, as heatwaves intensify.
The terracotta balconies of Barcelona have, for a long time, been synonymous with the city of love.
But the palette of its skyline could be changing for climate reasons.
A proposed makeover would see the rooftops of the Catalan capital painted white in an effort to reduce the devastating impact of heatwaves.
On this episode, Nate is joined by the creator of Doughnut Economics, Kate Raworth, to discuss alternative economies that measure more than just the material wealth created by a society.
The Swedish city of Linköping has created a digital map of all the organizations, activities, facilities and enterprises involved in the sharing economy and is committed to bringing about a more susta..
Most of the car traffic in Bologna will have to slow down to 30 km/h after a new traffic plan was unveiled. The aim is to make the city safer and cleaner and promote alternative modes of transportatio..
At least in my view, Degrowth opens spaces for critical thinking, dialogue and collaboration among various actors to refine and develop strategies for achieving a sustainable and equitable future beyond growth.
On one Mediterranean island, the words resilience, autonomy, and solidarity are much more immediate and concrete than EU jargon would lead us to believe. In a process started amid the pandemic and now all the more valuable in the context of the energy crisis, the island’s residents have come together to form a renewable energy community. Their story is a reminder that the most secure energy system is distributed, decentralised, and democratic.
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