The Summit that will take place in Paris 14-16 May 2012 is organized by the New Cities Foundation aims at placing the city at the heart of the global discussion. According to the organizers this by invitation-only event is new in both content and form. Continue reading…

Smart growth is the trend of the future. All cities, from top-ranked Vienna, Austria to the developing metropolis of Lagos, Nigeria have embarked on ambitious smart city programmes aiming towards goals such as higher densities, compact mixed-uses and transit orientation. But even though smart growth has a number of very important and widely beneficial advantages, is it what modern city-dwellers really want? Continue reading…

The Economist Intelligence Unit, a sister company of The Economist, has devised a new index which ranks the competitiveness of the most prominent cities across the globe according to their demonstrated ability to attract capital, businesses, talent and visitors. Continue reading…

Over the next 10-15 years, our relationship to energy will enter a new phase, framed by the stark reality of carbon emission-driven climate change, and a rising energy demand around the globe. Whether we like it, or are ready for it, an emerging “energopolitics” will reshape everything from what we consume, how we live, why we work, and ultimately, the condition of our planet. Continue reading…

Canadian cities frequently appear in the top positions in global rankings for the cities with the best quality of life, and they are equally challenging in terms of vibrancy, enterpreneurial spirit and creative and civic culture. Continue reading…

In 2011, the majority of the planet’s population lives in cities rather than the countryside. This mass movement of population across the world means that cities, particularly in Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, are growing in size by the hour. Infographiclist.com created an infographic that shows the number of new inhabitants of the world’s largest cities per hour. Continue reading…

The Sustainable Business sector of the major British newspaper, The Guardian, along with the swedish multinational construction and development company Skanska, will host a live online discussion on the future of the urban built environment on Thursday Continue reading…

Creating Places for People is a collaborative commitment to best practice urban design in Australia. The protocol, which was a result of two years of collaboration between stakeholders and communities in Australia, provides some broad principles for urban design that take into account the unique characteristics of a location, Continue reading…

According to UN there are currently 23 megasities with population over 10 milion. By 2025 there will be 32. The Observer newspaper examines the huge challenges and opportunities that will result from the rapid increase in the number of megacities. Continue reading…

For the first time in its history, the TED Prize is being awarded not to an individual, but to an idea. The 2012 TED Prize is awarded to the City 2.0. The organizing team is bringing together a group of visionaries — urban planners, architects, technologists, authors, policy makers, and economists — to act as advocates for The City 2.0 and craft a wish capable of inspiring collaborative action by many. Continue reading…