NewsJune2020

October 5-6, 2020, Toronto, Canada
UEF 2020 is an international forum regarding SDG 11 which is one of 17 United Nation Sustainable Development Goals focused on creating sustainable and resilient cities and communities. UEF aims to advance SDG 11 through identifying and implementing
sustainable urban economy in municipalities in the world.
https://www.ueforum.org/

Virtual Corp 3: the future of housing

The third edition of VIRTUAL CORP will be held as online event on 14 July 2020, 15:00-17:00 CEST (UTC+2)
https://virtual.corp.at/

The Lasting Normal for the Post-Pandemic City

Coronavirus has altered the look and feel of cities globally, but only some changes will remain when the crisis is over.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-06-25/the-new-normal-after-the-coronavirus-pandemic

European cities to experiment with 'digital twins' for urban logistics

A Horizon 2020-funded project aims to create 'digital twins' of urban logistics networks in six European cities in order to support the experimentation and decision making with on-demand logistics operations in a public-private urban setting. The project that will be doing this is called LEAD, which stands for Low-Emission Adaptive last mile logistics supporting 'on Demand economy' through digital twins.
https://www.eltis.org/in-brief/news/six-european-cities-experiment-digital-twins-urban-logistics

Shaping a new normal beyond COVID-19: join us at Mannheim2020

The Mannheim200 conference is just three months away. In many ways the world looks different today from what any of us could have imagined when we first launched the event. However, the core topics that Mannheim2020 will address remain at least as
relevant as ever.
https://conferences.sustainablecities.eu/mannheim2020/registration/

IT-TRANS E-Market Update Webinars

To help advance the sector during these challenging times, UITP and Messe Karlsruhe will be running a series of regular E-Market Update Webinars with leading industry suppliers creating innovative solutions. All of which you’ll be able to meet this December at IT-TRANS 2020.
Tuesday, 30 June 2020: Leveraging big data and data analytics to achieve safe distancing
https://www.it-trans.org/en/it-trans/the-exhibition/webinar/

Urban Mobility's Unique Chance to Help Fight Climate Change

It may be the case that the COVID-19 pandemic catapulted urban mobility into global consciousness. Urbanites everywhere became suddenly aware of the many modalities we normally use to get from point A to B, what happens when access to these options is
drastically reduced, as well as the shocking effect that confinement had on transport emissions and pollution levels worldwide. Marc Amblard, Founder and Managing Director of Orsay Consulting, takes a deeper look into perhaps one of the
only positive things to come out of this global crisis: urban mobility's potential to significantly reduce global emissions. But this time, permanently.
https://urbanmobilitycompany.com/content/daily/urban-mobilitys-unique-chance-to-help-fight-climate-change

When rethinking the streets, don't forget the power of cargo bikes

As cities radically reconsider their needs for the future, many have gone to great lengths to improve their cycling infrastructure. With pop-up bike lanes and car-free zones proliferating during coronavirus lockdowns, much of the focus has been on bikes as vehicles for commuting. But with the right steps, this could also be a moment to help cargo bicycles gain a footing to compete against large, polluting delivery vans and trucks.
https://www.citymetric.com/transport/cargo-bikes-cycling-infrastructure-coronavirus-streets-5183

2020 PLEA Conference: Planning Post Carbon Cities - ONLINE

In view of the uncertain evolution of the current pandemic, the restrictions to international mobility and the ongoing risks associated to large events, the PLEA 2020 local Organising Committee has agreed, with the PLEA Board and the International Advisory Committee to celebrate the Conference online, during the same dates: 1-3 September 2020.
https://www.plea2020.org/

International Conference ‘Urban e-Planning’ postponed to 2021

The conference (6 - 7 April 2020, postponed to 1-2 September 2020) was cancelled on 15 June due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Conference will take place in 2021. More information soon here.
https://sites.google.com/view/uep2020-conference/home

Launching ‘IncluCities’

With the launch of IncluCities, eight European cities and local government associations are joining forces to improve the integration of migrants. The initiative, managed by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), pairs more and less experienced cities to learn find and spread sustainable local solutions.
Over the past years, migrant and refugee arrivals have often faced negative public attitudes, stereotypes and misconceptions. While there are challenges in some areas, the reality is that there are thousands of good examples and practices from cities and towns.
https://www.ccre.org/en/actualites/view/4044

Seven Essential Elements of a Smart City Ecosystem

The topic of smart cities is commonly framed by technology but what is often overlooked is the importance of how people work together to implement those digital applications. One of the most critical factors in creating a smarter community is having the right people in place. The most successful smart city projects require participation from a diverse set of stakeholders – a team that is a representative sample of your (future) smart city.
https://smartcitiesconnect.org/the-seven-essential-elements-of-a-smart-city-ecosystem/

European Transport Conference - online only

For the first time in the history of the ETC the conference will be organized in an online format. The conference will keep its unique identity of a multi-disciplinary, multi-seminar format but in an online environment. There will be a choice of up to 10 simultaneous seminars per day plus plenary sessions on the first and second days. AET is working to update all information in the website to reflect the new format of the coming conference and provide all necessary information for delegates.
https://aetransport.org/en-gb/etc/this-year-at-etc

The Wellbeing Cities Forum - going ahead online

The Wellbeing Cities Forum ordinarily takes place in Montreal, our host city. Due to the pandemic, however, we had to think outside the box and go online! On September 15-17, 2020, participants from over 100 cities and 50 countries will be joining us for our three-day, all-virtual program. This second edition of our flagship event will connect our expansive network of local and international mayors, city leaders, corporate executives, and experts from non profits and academia, all committed to advancing urban wellbeing.
https://newcities.org/2020-wellbeing-cities-forum/

Why Should Cities Aim For Heat Resilience?

To figure out what strategy works best, cities can decide to assess precisely the thermal situation in order to define target areas to take action
Just a few days to pass and the summer will be here! If you live in a large city, then your feelings are probably mixed between excitement for holidays and apprehension for managing the discomfort generated by the heat waves in your city. Whether you are a mother of two young children living on the 15th floor without AC, a cyclist pedaling on the hot tarmac, an elderly experiencing high heat-stress inside a bus… When heat waves strike, summer days can be uncomfortable for everyone, and extremely dangerous for the most vulnerable ones.
https://www.thesmartcityjournal.com/en/homen/articles/2231-why-should-cities-aim-for-heat-resilience

Autonomous Vehicles in Covid Economy

The Covid economy has already impacted the auto industry negatively, and more changes are on the way, along with a large dose of uncertainties. We can use what we have learned from the last few months to give perspectives on the likely future. The first table below summarizes a few things we have learned.
https://www.eetimes.com/autonomous-vehicles-in-covid-economy/#

African Smart Cities Summit 2020 postponed to 2021

The 4th annual African Smart Cities Summit and Smart Cities Week Africa will EXPLORE major trends, CELEBRATE Africa’s progress, DEBATE challenges and opportunities and DISCOVER the innovations set to advance African cities.
The summit anticipates positive growth during its weeklong activities. The inclusion of the Smart Cities Pavilion on the exhibition floor showcases how technology and innovative solutions can transform African cities.
https://www.africanconstructionexpo.com/african-smart-cities-summit/

Smart Cities and Mobility Forum goes online

With regard to preventive measures to curb indoor activities, the Smart Cities and Mobility Forum is being postponed. The new date for the event will be October 1 in Digital Format.
All tickets purchased will be valid for the new date and registered participants will receive an email with the required information.
https://events.economedia.bg/en/event/159

ICLEI-RUAF CITYFOOD Network in Africa

The ICLEI-RUAF CITYFOOD network is a global network for local and regional governments to develop a strategic approach to their city-region food systems. It aims to accelerate action on sustainable and resilient city-region food systems by combining networking with training, policy guidance and technical expertise. CITYFOOD Network is open to all local and regional governments, whether they are engaging with a food systems approach for the first time, or already working on improving their urban food systems.
https://iclei.org/en/CITYFOOD_Network.html

Cities coming together for gender equality

Full gender equality is far from being achieved. On the contrary, the COVID-19 pandemic has the potential of setting back previous progress. It has had a disproportionate impact on women by: increasing the burden of their unpaid work at home; worsening their employment and economic standing; exacerbating the rates of domestic violence against women. The challenges at hand are clear across cities in the EU. This is why cities came together and discussed ways to counter discrimination and inequalities during a EUROCITIES city dialogue on 16 June.
http://www.eurocities.eu/eurocities/news/Cities-coming-together-for-gender-equality-WSPO-BQSFSJ

Sustainable Places 2020 going ahead online

End of May, we launched a survey on our database of earlier SP participants. We received over 150 responses, and it turns out that 75% of you are in favor of a virtual online event for this 2020 edition of Sustainable Places. Given this, we have now taken the decision to hold a virtual event. We realize that some attend SP specifically for the networking component, but we also received strong feedback to continue with the event (as opposed to cancellation) to facilitate project clustering and dissemination especially since many other events have been cancelled. Hence, we are committed to doing just that and we also have some innovative ideas to allow for networking sessions even if digital. To date at this early stage, we already have 13 workshops and over 50 projects making contributions to SP. That is a great start and now we can plan forward with confidence.
https://www.sustainableplaces.eu/

Urban Transitions 2020 Abstract deadline extended

Urban Transitions 2020 aims to promote healthy urban development by bringing together different disciplines working within cities. Meet world leading experts on urban and transport planning, architecture, environmental exposure assessment, environmental epidemiology, physical activity, climate change, and public health and governance to discuss current challenges and solutions.
https://www.elsevier.com/events/conferences/urban-transitions

The reason billions can’t safely shelter at home? Housing.

In a bid to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, over the past months governments across the world have ordered billions of people to stay at home, wash their hands frequently, and self-quarantine if they develop symptoms. These are critical recommendations. But what if that home has no running water for frequent handwashing? What if there is no refrigerator to store food, and only one bedroom for six members of a single family?
https://blogs.worldbank.org/sustainablecities/reason-billions-cant-safely-shelter-home-housing

9th SUMP Award – Call for applications open!

The call for applications for the 9th EU SUMP Award is officially launched from 15 June 2020. For this award edition, the theme of the SUMP Award is "Zero-emission mobility for all". Applications should be submitted by 31 October 2020.
In the framework of EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK, the European Commission annually presents the European SUMP Award to a planning authority that demonstrated excellence in sustainable urban mobility planning.
http://www.mobilityweek.eu/sump-award/

Sharing Cities’ Smart City Solutions – Webinar Series: E-bikes

The series will present the smart cities measures that have been implemented in lighthouse cities of Lisbon, London and Milan as part of the Sharing Cities project. This webinar on e-bikes will explore their implementation through two case studies from lighthouse cities. Then, some tools for replication, scale-up and implementation in other cities will be presented.

http://www.eurocities.eu/eurocities/calendar/events_list/Sharing-Cities-Smart-City-Solutions-Webinar-Series-E-bikes-WSPO-BQQ692

Webinar: LEARN! Key Principles

The LEARN! Key Principles are 17 recommendations that should be implemented in all European countries, in order to ensure that everyone receives high quality traffic safety and mobility education. This webinar will present these Key Principles, and show how they can be applied in practice through examples from Belgium, Greece, the Netherlands and Norway. Speakers will present on topics such as engagement with schools, ensuring high quality education and facilitating framework conditions. The full agenda can be accessed here(link is external).

https://etsc.eu/23-june-2020-the-learn-key-principles-webinar/

The Green City Accord

The European Commission is preparing the Green City Accord, a movement of European mayors committed to safeguarding the natural environment. The Accord will help cities achieve cleaner and healthier environments, thereby improving the quality of life of citizens. It will mobilise cities willing to step up their actions in five areas of environmental management:

https://www.eumayors.eu/news-and-events/news/1797-the-green-city-accord-a-new-eu-initiative-for-greener,-healthier-cities.html

Access City Award 2021 open for applications

The European Commission have started accepting applications for the Access City Award 2021. The Access City Awards celebrate cities that are determined to improve accessibility to persons with disabilities and elderly people. It recognises cities efforts to guarantee equal access to fundamental rights and improve the quality of life for all inhabitants.

https://www.eltis.org/in-brief/news/access-city-award-2021-open-applications

Impact Mobility: Virtual Summit

2020 was the year where cities across the globe began piloting major projects, regulating mobility and selecting long-term MaaS technology and operating partners. COVID-19 has completely changed the global outlook with projects halted or on hold, with several private companies facing survival challenges and cities seeing opportunities to redesign their streets. The Mobility agenda has never held such importance.

https://reutersevents.com/events/mobility-eu/

Age-friendly Cities Conference

The Age-friendly Cities Conference and Exhibition 2020 (AFC2020) is designed to introduce Best Practices and served as a mechanism to create a deep understanding of what is involved in the creation of vibrant, cohesive and sustainable age-friendly cities and provided the foundation to the creation of a global network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities.

http://www.agefriendlycities.com/

Improving EV charging to speed up e-mobility revolution

New eCharge4Drivers project will enhance EV user experience at electric vehicle charging stations by offering improved services Today sees the launch of the new eCharge4Drivers project. The project will deliver enhanced user experience at electric vehicle charging stations by offering new, improved services, helping to increase the attractiveness and convenience of EVs. Working with 32 partners across 11 European countries, eCharge4Drivers will bring together key stakeholders help to offer an enhanced EV charging experience and speed up the transition to electric vehicles across Europe.

https://www.polisnetwork.eu/news/improving-ev-charging-experience-to-speed-up-e-mobility-revolution/

Urban Living Might Just Survive Coronavirus

Early data from real estate websites suggest cities haven’t lost their allure, even at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. “How will cities survive the coronavirus?” a New York Times opinion writer recently asked. “Can New York avoid a coronavirus exodus?” the Financial Times chimed in. Since the beginning of the pandemic, many have predicted the demise of U.S. urban living — where physical proximity is the norm, social distancing complex, and lockdowns in sometimes cramped apartments decidedly uncomfortable.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-15/urban-living-might-just-survive-coronavirus?srnd=citylab

Local leaders virtual gathering: post-COVID “new normal”

With 2 million infections detected, 160,000 dead and an economy forecast to shrink 7.5% this year, Europe been hit heavily by the coronavirus. On Thursday (11 June), local leaders gathered for a virtual meeting to prepare “the new normal” after COVID-19. The aim: a sustainable recovery and resilient societies well-prepared for such health crises. Over 80 mayor and other local and regional elected officials from 30 countries attended the online event to share their experiences on managing COVID-19 in their territories and to discuss CEMR’s position on the issue. https://www.ccre.org/en/actualites/view/4041

“Security, Democracy and Cities” conference for autumn 2020

During its General Assembly meeting held in Augsburg (DE) on 26 June 2019, Efus chose Nice (FR) as the host city of its 2020 “Security, Democracy and Cities” international conference. A key event in the network’s life, the conference will be dedicated to the exchange of practices, experience and knowledge on urban security.

https://efus.eu/en/topics/%activity%/17653/

Cities Taking Up Calls to Defund the Police

On June 7, members of the Minneapolis city council announced something that just weeks ago might have seemed politically untenable: They would disband the Minneapolis Police Department entirely, and start over with a community-led public safety system. Though the mayor reaffirmed on Monday that he wouldn’t support the dissolution of the force, the council has secured a veto-proof majority.

https://www.citylab.com/equity/2020/06/defund-police-city-council-budget-divest-public-resources/612694/

Urban Density Is Not an Enemy in the Coronavirus Fight

Making a link between a city’s density and its vulnerability to epidemics may seem like an obvious connection. But it may, in fact, be off the mark. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and its spread across the globe, places with high urban population density have seemed to be especially at risk to some observers. A common argument is that high population density makes cities more vulnerable to epidemics because of the possibility of frequent interpersonal contacts. New York City is often cited as a prime example. https://blogs.worldbank.org/sustainablecities/urban-density-not-enemy-coronavirus-fight-evidence-china

eHUBS webinar: check out the presentations

On Friday May 29th, an eHUBS webinar took place with the aim of presenting the concept of shared and electric mobility hubs, as developed by the project, and of showcasing the digital side of eHUBS. After a brief introduction by moderator Bram Seeuws (Autodelen.net), Arjen Rodenburg - project coordinator - guided us through the main outputs of the eHUBS project. He highlighted in particular the objective of deploying 92 eHUBS in 6 partner cities by the end of 2021. In total, thanks to project, 2400 shared LEVs and 670 shared electric vehicles will be taken up in the coming years.

https://www.polisnetwork.eu/news/ehubs-webinar-check-out-the-speakers-presentations-and-recording/

Webinar on District Heating

This webinar will be held from 13:30 until 15:00 CEST and is part of the European Sustainable Energy Week 2020. The climate neutrality ambition established in the European Green Deal requires efficient solutions for sustainable energy generation. In this session, the European Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, COGEN Europe and CEDEC are joining forces to provide interdisciplinary perspectives on district heating as a sustainable energy solution on the local level, to advise policy makers and local practitioners, while sharing experiences from the ground.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/district-heating-working-towards-local-sustainable-solutions-eusew-ext-registration-108083623026

6 Ways to Make City Streets Safer for Pedestrians

For many city leaders, more cars and more highways mean better transportation. And during the current pandemic, fear of COVID-19’s spread is pushing some to turn to private vehicles. But a safe, sustainable transport future does not include further dependence on cars, as the rising global trend of pedestrian fatalities, congested and disconnected urban growth, air pollution, and climate emissions makes clear.

https://thecityfix.com/blog/6-ways-make-city-streets-safer-pedestrians-nikita-luke/

British cities face a long overdue reckoning with racist monuments

With Liverpool, it was cotton. For Bristol, it was sugar; Glasgow, it was tobacco. Then there’s London which, aside from being a hub for shipping, also developed many of the financial instruments that allowed the industry to operate. It's a grim fact that many of Britain’s most progressive cities were built on the profits of the Atlantic slave trade. https://www.citymetric.com/fabric/britain-statues-bristol-black-lives-matter-protests-5177

Highlights from city dialogue on health and urban prepardness

On May 29, EUROCITIES held a city dialogue with the World Health Organisation on the topic of public health measures and urban preparedness in the context of COVID-19. Attended by 35 participants from 20 European cities, this was the first city dialogue entirely focused on health and key health determinants critically affected by the crisis. Participants had the opportunity to get acquainted with the latest WHO technical guidance on preparedness for COVID-19 and exchange on key measures for COVID-19 transition and post-pandemic resilience.

http://www.eurocities.eu/eurocities/news/Highlights-from-city-dialogue-on-health-and-urban-prepardness-with-the-WHO-WSPO-BQDRMP

Cooperative City in Quarantine webinars!

Cooperative City in Quarantine is a project by Eutropian in partnership with URBACT, Generative-Commons, OpenHeritage.eu and JPI Urban Europe supported project PlaceCity. The Cooperative City Magazine is run by Eutropian, based in Vienna, Austria. The company is working with various European cities and partners in order to improve the urban tissue, involve citizens and defend their rights to the city.

https://jpi-urbaneurope.eu/news/cooperative-city-in-quarantine-join-the-webinars/

Melbourne “Greening The City” Project Takes Off

The City of Melbourne, Australia has plans for a re-vegetation project which will create habitat and support biodiversity, while also generating 64 jobs. The Greening the City project is a partnership between the City of Melbourne, CityWide, and the Victorian Government. It will be funded through the Victorian Government’s Working for Victoria initiative.

https://smartcitiesconnect.org/melbourne-greening-the-city-re-vegetation-project-takes-off/

Alternative smart cities

Global movement based in Portugal promotes manifest based on ethics and transparency for the future of smart cities. The ZOOM GLOBAL SMART CITIES Association (ZGSC), formed in 2018, is composed of experts, scholars, academics, former governors, and professionals from different areas and from all over the globe.

https://www.thesmartcityjournal.com/en/news/2203-alternative-smart-cities

Get ready for the European Sustainable Energy Week 2020

This year, the European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) will take place online from the 22nd to the 26th June. The EU Commission’s main event on energy & sustainability will host many different workshops and conferences around the theme “Beyond the crisis: clean energy for green recovery & growth”. Local sustainable energy events – “Energy Days” – will also be organised by public and private organisations during the month of June.
https://www.eusew.eu/eusew2020-going-digital

Heating and cooling planning for greener cities online event

During this half a day conference, you will learn more about Hotmaps toolbox but also discuss how to decarbonise heating&cooling in cities
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/heating-and-cooling-planning-for-greener-cities-local-resources-first-tickets-105770747152

Walking as a Service (WaaS) – Does it Have Legs?

I just walked – last two days in London between multiple locations. No bus. No tube. No Uber. No bike. Thanks to a major new innovative collaboration between Google Maps and my new desert boots – called ‘Walking as a Service’, so states Glenn Lyons, Mott MacDonald Professor of Future Mobility at UWE Bristol. Read on to discover Lyon's exploration of a familiar yet radical concept which may be low-tech, yet hardly low-profit.
https://urbanmobilitycompany.com/content/daily/walking-as-a-service-waas-does-it-have-legs

Emerging technologies for the new normal in transport

Digital tools can transform transportation: this has long been the consensus in the transport and digital development communities. They can be leveraged to promote system efficiency in logistics, ensure access for all by mapping out travel patterns for vulnerable groups, and even reduce transport’s environmental impact via apps that alert residents about high levels of pollution. Digital solutions are a key path to achieving Sustainable Mobility for All.
https://blogs.worldbank.org/transport/three-emerging-digital-technologies-new-normal-transport

Smart and Sustainable Cities Online Conference - now online

We are pleased to invite you to participate in the Smart and Sustainable Cities Online Conference (SSC-2020). Due to the restrictions induced by the Covid-19 pandemic the event will take place online. SSC-2020 conference will be held July 8 - July 10, 2020.

http://ssc-conf.org/

International Low Impact Development Conference - Online only

In response to the global outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19), ASCE is committed to reducing the risk of adverse health impacts to the thousands of ASCE members, guests and staff that participate in numerous ASCE committee meetings, conferences and events. Thank you for your continued patience and dedication to ASCE and its Institutes. We will be hosting this conference virtually from July 20-24, 2020. For more information about the virtual event, please visit www.lidconference.org/virtual

https://www.lidconference.org/

How Pandemics Shape Cities

Pandemics are defined as large-scale outbreaks of an infectious disease that can vastly increase morbidity (occurrence of disease) and mortality over a wide geographic area. Inevitably, pandemics cause significant economic, social, and political disruption. Most pandemics in history have originated through “zoonosis’, the transmission of pathogens from animals to humans. The bubonic plague of the 6th century (rats), the 1918 ‘spanish flu’ (pigs) now known as H1N1, SARS or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (birds) known as H5N2 and H5N2, and finally COVID 19, which probably had its genesis in the wild animal consumption market in Wuhan, China. Presently 75% of emerging infectious diseases are of animal origin. We don’t know how exactly they spill over into humans, except in the case of pigs (with their remarkable physiological similarities to humans) who can catch both avian and human flu viruses.

https://www.rateitgreen.com/green-building-articles/how-pandemics-shape-cities/136

New times, new tools

On a scale of 1-10, how much did you love the lockdown? Most likely, the responses will cluster around either end of the scale. In this age of extremes, love and hate trump the safe centre. Reactions to the pandemic are no different.

For many of us, the biggest lockdown shift has been to a work and social life largely on line. If you’re a city official, as well as working from home, this may have been compounded by redeployment to new tasks and uncertainty about what’s ahead. For many, the ‘New Normal’ will mean organisational disruption and budget cuts.

https://urbact.eu/new-times-new-tools

Walk Bike Places - moving to online format

Walk/Bike/Places strives to be the most informative and progressive active transportation conference in North America. Produced by Project for Public Spaces, the event consists of nearly 100 participant-led breakout sessions and locally-led workshops, as well as opportunities for experiential learning by walking and biking through the streets and other public spaces of the host city.

Due to COVID-19, this year Walk/Bike/Places will take place entirely online. The program will still feature a wide range of breakout sessions, as well as the more inventive session formats you have come to expect from Walk/Bike/Places. Along with reduced registration fees, we hope that this shift online will also allow us to reach an even broader audience.

https://www.walkbikeplaces.org/

Sustainable City Forum, 2020

Smart City Summit and Expo (SCSE) is the largest smart city and IoT business event in Asia. Global city leaders and business elites meet together in Taipei every year to discuss and share the smart city development experiences and strategies. SDG11: “Sustainable Cities and Communities” has pointed out that city is an important arena for people’s life. To make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, is the target for every city leaders.

Sustainable City Forum is one of the major events of SCSE. The Organizer hopes to bring together the worldwide smart solutions in renewable energy, energy efficiency, green finance, circular economy, or eco-mobility via this platform, achieving the goals of SDG11.

http://smartcity.org.tw/sustainable_en.php

Governing Energy Transitions in Cities

Join the energy transition learning relay organised by Energy Cities and Drift in the framework of the project TOMORROW. They believe there is the need, now more than ever, to build resilience strategies addressing both climate and health issues and search for potential opportunities to build more sustainable, liveable and just cities.

https://www.eumayors.eu/news-and-events/news/1793-governing-energy-transitions-in-cities-join-our-energy-transition-learning-relay.html

How COVID Fueled the Protests

The pandemic has hit black people especially hard in terms of health and employment. Those conditions intensified long-simmering anger over police brutality and racism.

Anger, fear and frustration have boiled over in cities all across the nation. Protests began in response to the alleged murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, but they are also expressions of deeper concerns about police brutality and racism.

https://www.governing.com/now/A-Crisis-Within-a-Crisis-How-Pandemic-Fueled-the-Protests.html

The City Science Initiative policy workshops

The European Union’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) is organising a number of virtual workshops as part of the City Science Initiative. These events bring together city representatives, researchers and policymakers to exchange on the latest science and practices.

The workshops cover a wide variety of topics from the circular economy and sustainable mobility, to information technology and mental health. Checkout the JRC’s website to find out more about the workshops and their dates.

https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/communities/en/community/3393/events

Green & Smart Recovery – Mobility 2.0 Virtual Congress

Green recovery, digitalization, automation, circular economy, sustainable investments. These are just a few buzzwords of the mobility sector, but do you really know how to harness these and turn them into a competitive edge for your mobility company? The new normal demands us all to rethink how we function. As people, businesses – and events.

Thus, this is not your everyday smart mobility congress. Green & smart recovery – Mobility 2.0 is a unique 3D experience that puts you in control of your event journey. So, suit up your avatar and explore the virtual world of smart mobility!

The event takes place from 10:00 - 16:00 CET on Thursday 11 June.

https://mobility4recovery.fi/#/about

America’s Cities Were Designed to Oppress

Architects and planners have an obligation to protect health, safety and welfare through the spaces we design. As the George Floyd protests reveal, we’ve failed.

https://www.citylab.com/perspective/2020/06/george-floyd-protest-urban-design-history-racism-architecture/612622/

This is how we secure smart cities

The smart city market is in hyper-growth: $189 billion will be spent worldwide on smart cities initiatives by 2023.

Smart cities rely on connections between systems, sensors and devices, but the more things that are connected, the greater the opportunity for cyberattackers to infiltrate.

Security by design and governance involving cyber-specialists are crucial to smart city initiatives.

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/03/this-is-how-we-secure-smart-cities/

Webinar on smart city delivery models

The current COVID-19 crisis illustrates why cities should avoid relying on a single model to support smart city ambitions. In times of great market uncertainty it is helpful to have a mix of funding, procurement and delivery strategies to spread the risk between different actors and avoid dependency on single providers/funders who might reconsider during disruptive periods.

The webinar will include real life examples from panelists, who will share their experience of each delivery model.

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4091287571373544203

Webinar State of Play of the Driving Urban Transitions Programme

All interested stakeholders are invited to join this webinar for information and reflection on the next programme of JPI Urban Europe. The webinar offers the opportunity to learn more about the results of recent stakeholder consultations and co-creation workshops, and have a say on the draft implementation concept.

18 June 2020, 14:00-17:00

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_LPf4r6TQS8e-5HmYpZXYaA

Insights from Big Data on How COVID-19 Is Changing Society

Between the 1918 flu pandemic and the 2020 COVID-19 crisis, our ability to understand the effects of infectious diseases has increased exponentially. Networked personal devices and automated sensors are now ubiquitous, not to mention communications technologies like the internet that allow us to share information almost instantaneously. These devices provide us with copious “big data” on people’s movement, the environment, economic trends and more.

These new data – collected from an estimated 9.8 billion mobile phones, 2,200 satellites and more than 25 billion other digital sensors – are documenting the radical shifts in social and economic activities happening in response to the coronavirus pandemic. People are significantly changing their behavior, and the impacts are not affecting everyone equally.

https://thecityfix.com/blog/insights-big-data-covid-19-changing-society-eric-mackres/

Can Cities Become Car-Free After Covid19?

In the course of the COVID19 pandemic, many cities are rethinking their transport systems. Mark Nieuwenhuijsen outlines challenges and solutions and argues that this is the time to boost the concept of a car-free city.

Cities are large emitters of CO2, and one of the main factors behind the climate crisis. Before the COVID19 pandemic, 60 per cent of public space was taken up by cars in a city like Barcelona.

During the lockdown, cities experience that large reductions in motorised traffic and thus large reductions in air pollution and noise levels and CO2 emissions are possible. This is important, especially considering that outdoor air pollution is estimated to kill 9 million people a year and that around 20 per cent of premature mortality can be attributed to factors related to suboptimal urban and transport planning.

https://www.urbanet.info/car-free-cities-after-pandemic/

Deadline for POLIS Network Call for Speakers

Following a record-breaking conference in Brussels, which brought together over 600 participants in November 2019, the 2020 Polis Annual Conference will take place in Arnhem Nijmegen City Region, Netherlands, on 2-3 December 2020.

The transport sector is far from gender-balanced. Polis wants to make women in transport more visible and offer them a platform to share their work. We strongly encourage women in the transport sector to respond to our call for speakers in greater numbers!

Following numerous requests, we have decided to extend the deadline for abstract submissions. Please submit your abstract here by 8 June

https://www.polisnetwork.eu/news/polis-conference-2020-call-for-speakers-announced/

Smart Cities and Mobility Forum date change

The annual SMART CITIES AND MOBILITY FORUM is already becoming the leading platform in SEE for new urban technology and the transformation of mobility and living. Now in its 3rd year, the event is a meetup of the policy, business and citizen sectors, where you can get up to date with and explore new trends, business models and policies in urban development and mobility technology.

https://events.economedia.bg/en/event/159

A Solo Space For All To See

Social distancing. A blend of physical distancing and virtual organizing at a time of “pandemic peril” and “Google Urbanism” presided over by the World Health Organization and the happiness industry. In self-isolation as in lockdown, data collectors mine the coronavirus as well as the citizenry. What happens when digital surveillance becomes “good for you,” so to speak? When it’s good for your health, happiness, and well-being? Surveillance is more difficult to question and limit, but not impossible. Smile.

https://newcities.org/the-big-picture-a-solo-space-for-all-to-see/

Smart Little Citizens

The city where kids are already programming at age 7

As a good Brazilian I am, I fully agree with those who say that Rio de Janeiro is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. But let's face it: the list is long! In this global cast of wonderful cities, there is certainly a place at the top for the beautiful, ancient, traditional, mystical, immense and chaotic: Istanbul!

https://www.thesmartcityjournal.com/en/cities/1737-smart-little-citizens-the-city-where-kids-are-already-programming-at-age-7

WasteExpo moves to online format

We look forward to bringing the industry together through a digital experience worthy of the WasteExpo name,” said Mark Hickey, Waste360 Vice President. “We are reimagining WasteExpo digitally through WasteExpo Together Online to bring our audience together. The digital experience will take place August 10-14 and will offer timely content and a safe place to learn and do business online for personal connection, innovation discovery, product development and more. We will share additional information about the digital experience soon.

https://www.wasteexpo.com/en/home.html

Metropolis webinar | Commuting across metropolises

The webinar "Commuting across metropolises" will bring together experts in mobility from different sectors to exchange their experience and point of view in the coordination of diverse stakeholders in order to deliver safe and affordable mobility that covers the needs of citizens living in vast metropolitan areas, leaving no one behind.

Organized on the occasion of the celebrations of the World Bicycle Day on June 3, this webinar will also be an opportunity to showcase, for the first time to the public, the two latest Metropolis publications, both focused on mobility: the Gender Keys 04 "Mobility and gender: How to build the right to the metropolis?", and the Issue Paper 10 "Rights and claims for metropolitan mobility"

https://www.metropolis.org/agenda/metropolis-webinar-commuting-across-metropolises

Insurance data to improve resilience to climate change

New Covenant case study available!

Copyright RESCCUE ProjectThe Covenant city of Barcelona partnered with Cetaqua (Water Technology Centre) and 15 other institutions in the EU funded project RESCCUE to use insurance data in the development of a methodology that prioritises the adaptation measures to take and contributes to the updated version of the Barcelona Climate Plan.

The main focus of Barcelona in this project was the water sector, since water-related risks can have a significant impact on the correct functioning of the city’s urban services and its energy supply.

https://www.eumayors.eu/news-and-events/news/1789-insurance-data-to-improve-resilience-to-climate-change.html

Let's renovate Europe

The Renovate Europe Campaign, in a joint action with 39 of its Partners, launched a proposal for the creation of a “Renovation Fund for All Europeans”.

Our call seeks to give a powerful suggestion for the current discussion within the European Commission around the preparation of a common EU Economic Recovery Plan post COVID-19, which, in our view, should ultimately ensure that energy renovation of the EU building stock plays a central role in getting the EU back on its feet.

As we believe that there is a real risk that COVID-19 could take the EU backwards to political fragmentation, economic stagnation and social breakdown, we chose to launch a common initiative that will bind Europeans and the European Union closer together, providing the impetus for renewed economic activity shaped by the principles of the European Green Deal while addressing the inequalities in our society in an inclusive manner.

https://www.renovate-europe.eu/about-the-campaign/renovation-fund-for-all-europeans/

Launch of the European green cities awards

The European Commission has launched the 2023 European Green Capital (EGCA 2023) and the 2022 European Green Leaf (EGLA 2022) Awards, recognising cities that are genuinely committed to becoming more sustainable. Winners will receive prizes worth €600,000 and €200,000 respectively, as well gain international visibility and acces to a network of previous finalist and winning cities.

To find out more and submit your candidacy, check out the green city awards' announcement press release and website. You have until 28 October 2020 to apply. Good luck!

http://egcaeglaportal.eu/

E²Tech4SmartCities 2020

Energy Efficient & Sustainable Technologies for Smart Cities

Due to the current circumstances related to the COVID-19 virus this years edition will be organized on-line.

E²Tech4SmartCities is organized on Wednesday 24 June 2020 by Enterprise Europe Brussels, at the occasion of the EU Sustainable Energy Week - #EUSEW. The brokerage event is free of charge and it is dedicated to private companies, including SMEs and large companies, public authorities and municipalities, industry, associations willing to develop innovative technologies or research projects in different fields related to energy efficiency and sustainable technologies such as: smart cities, urban mobility, circular economy and nature based solutions for urban districts.

https://cdn.flxml.eu/lt-2168214154-072dc015da6e9422421d3aef89005701a2d9f80500404333

EC announces COVID Recovery Plan

The European Commission has put forward a proposal for a major recovery plan in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

The budget proposal, announced on Wednesday 27 May, sets out a revamped long-term EU budget boosted by 'Next Generation EU', an emergency recovery instrument to help repair the economic and social damage from by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Next Generation EU will raise money by temporarily lifting the 'own resources ceiling' to 2% of EU Gross National Income, allowing the Commission to borrow €750 billion. This additional funding will be channelled through EU programmes and repaid over a long time period throughout future EU budgets.

https://www.polisnetwork.eu/news/commission-announces-covid-recovery-plan/

What Mayors Are Saying About the George Floyd Protests

As demonstrations over the killing of George Floyd spread across the U.S., city leaders offered a range of responses to the unrest.

What did the weekend of terrifying civil unrest that has seized America’s cities look like from City Hall? For the mayors of major U.S. cities, what began as protests over police violence triggered by the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police on May 25 has intensified into something else — a national uprising that’s also a complex, fast-changing threat to public safety, driven by forces and actors not yet fully understood and threaded with the unseen menace of a still-active pandemic.

https://www.citylab.com/equity/2020/06/george-floyd-protests-police-violence-mayor-quotes/612469/

Registrations for the next UIA and URBACT webconference are open

As a part of a one-year learning activity on Cities engaging in the right to housing, Urban Innovative Actions (UIA) and URBACT are organising a webconference on the topic of housing exclusion on Friday 26 June at 10.00 (CET)

https://urbact.eu/no-one-left-behind

ECOMM 2020 now going ahead online

The Municipality of Cascais, together with EPOMM, proudly announces the ECOMM 2020 ONLINE! A unique event that will bring together the authors of the submitted papers to discuss the most pressing themes regarding mobility, with an additional focus on the future of mobility in the light of Covid-19.

On the webinar’s agenda are seven themed debates, that will be held online on four different days, from the 9th to the 30th of June 2020. Each session will last 90 minutes and has a panel composed by 1 moderator and 3 invited speakers, chosen by the ECOMM IPC.

http://www.epomm.eu/index.php?id=2814

Fortress Charleston: Can a Wall Hold Back the Waters?

The city has endorsed a $2 billion plan to wall off the historic downtown from rising seas and surging storms. It is the latest in a growing number of expensive seawalls and barriers being proposed to defend U.S. coastal cities.

For millions of visitors each year, Charleston, S.C., is a reminder of a bygone era, showcasing antebellum mansions, arty row houses, historic African-American churches, and sprawling views of the harbor from a Civil War-era promenade.

What those visitors don’t see is that Charleston is drowning in slow motion and soon will face an existential threat to its survival from rising seas and bigger, more powerful storms — this, even as development continues nearly unchecked.

https://www.governing.com/community/Fortress-Charleston-Can-a-Wall-Hold-Back-the-Waters.html

3 ways to face the Covid-19 crisis

This week, we had the opportunity to talk to three experts, from three different cities, about how they are handling different challenges to help cities and communities during the Covid-19 pandemic.

https://citiesofthefuture.eu/online-panel-3-ways-to-face-the-covid-19-crisis/

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Further archived news available on request from: Kate More