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As countries look to increase the use of public transport, experts explain why making buses, trams and trains free might not be a 'magic wand' to solve the problem.

Want to solve homelessness and make it so people aren’t paying nearly all their income on housing? Look to Vienna

L’établissement public territorial de Plaine Commune œuvre depuis 2017 pour généraliser le réemploi de matériaux de construction sur tous les chantiers du territoire. Vigoureusement portée par les élus, cette démarche de « métabolisme urbain » est aujourd’hui une politique publique.

Much of Europe is suffering or still reeling from the scorching effects of the heatwave.

These extreme weather events are becoming fiercer and more frequent as a result of climate change, and for western nations especially, it has been a frightening glimpse into the future.

Record-breaking days have exposed how ill-equipped our cities are to handle plus 40°C plus temperatures. Conversely, they’ve also made us more appreciative of the parts that provide relief: the tree-lined streets, leafy parks, lidos and air-conditioned public venues.

We launched an action to gather feedback and ideas from the citizens of Differdange. We sent them a postcard, which was featured in the monthly magazine of the city. Next to the postcard, the magazine also included an article dedicated to FUSILLI, which was a great opportunity to explain the project to the citizens of Differdange.
With the postcard, we want the citizens to send us their ideas. The citizens could return their answers online or bring the postcard to the cultural centre.

The City of Rome developed a participatory urban gardening project. The aim of the project is two-fold: it fights social exclusion and poverty and allows brownfield recovery.
Working with NGOs, citizens, disadvantaged people and minorities, the city uses the urban and suburban agriculture as a means to improve governance processes. Alongside employment policy, social and intercultural dialogue has a pre-eminent role to play. The importance of other factors such as housing, health, culture and communication should also be acknowledged.

Solidarity City is a media project of Cooperative City Magazine to promote and strengthen social and solidarity economy practices throughout Europe. Taking Vienna as its starting point, the project aims at mapping initiatives that focus on social inclusion, fair employment, participation, sustainable food systems, ethical consumption and responsible tourism, and exploring their achievements and challenges, as well as telling their stories and helping them gain visibility.


The Bavarian capital wants to construct a massive, city-wide cycling expressway system by 2025.
Recently, the local government in Munich announced a new cycling infrastructure strategy, that will see the construction of six cycling expressways in the city, as well as a bicycle ring road around the centre. This massive expansion of the cycling infrastructure came after a 2019 citizen-led petition and a feasibility study from last year.

Major European cities such as Amsterdam, Geneva and Brussels, have adopted the doughnut model to guide their green transitions.

During the pandemic, the small size and local ties of these food providers allowed for a quick response to the evolving demand for food. Farmers markets, salad suppliers and community growers were able to make healthy, locally grown foods more accessible while strengthening community ties through collaboration and volunteer opportunities.

El 'Estudio del potencial fotovoltaico de 150 centros educativos en la Comunidad de Madrid' ha sido elaborado en colaboración con la empresa IMPACT-E

Cities are particularly deadly in a heat wave— but fatalities are not inevitable.

As temperature records tumble across the Continent, the death toll from the extreme heat is starting to become apparent. Last Friday, for example, a municipal street cleaner in Madrid died of heat stroke while working outdoors in temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius. On Saturday another worker died after spending several hours in a warehouse where temperatures surpassed 46C.

The City of Turin has established an interdepartmental and intersectoral coordination on food policies that include and represent all offices dealing with it and encourage a shift from sectoral actions to more strategic approaches.

The goal is to improve the governance process in which all components of the city administration participate.

Around the world, cities are implementing measures to reduce or mitigate the effects of rising temperatures. To protect the most vulnerable groups of citizens, the City Council of Barcelona has decided to create a network of climate shelters. These are specially conditioned spaces kept at 26 degrees Celsius with good accessibility, rest, and water areas to ease the sensation of heat. Spaces across the city are adapted to serve as shelters, with local schools being one of the primary resources used in the program.

Wien Gusto’, as the brand is called, will source its produce from the nearly 2,000 hectares of farm land owned by the city
Yesterday, the city of Vienna announced that it will launch its own line of organic produce, which will be sold on the retail markets. The city owns around 2,000 hectares of arable land and vineyards, making it one of the largest organic farms in Austria.