Amsterdam bans creation of new hotels
Another piece in the overall strategy to reduce tourist flows to the city
A conversation with the mayor of Utrecht on the occasion of her mission to COP27
Sharon Dijksma is the 332nd mayor of Utrecht. She has served in this position since 2020.
In 1994 she was elected as a Member of Parliament for the PvdA (Dutch Labour Party). She was State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science from 2007-2010, State Secretary for Economic Affairs from 2012-2015 and State Secretary for Infrastructure and the Environment from 2015-2017.
From 2018-2020 she was the alderman for Traffic and Transport, Water and Air Quality of the Municipality of Amsterdam.
The main message I brought was that cities should be included in global policymaking on climate and the upcoming climate summits. Without cities, it will be impossible to tackle global warming. Moreover, cities want to lead the way. They facilitate innovation and have the capacity to invest on a large scale in clean mobility, green construction and creating a sustainable energy supply.
It was an exciting first step, but we need to make sure that this Ministerial will become a structural item on the agenda of future COPs as well. To make sure we won’t lose momentum, we should strive towards a more prominent role of cities in the international climate agenda.
It is time for real multi-level collaboration on all levels to keep the Paris goal of 1.5 degrees alive. A way to do so is to include cities in the Nationally Determined Contributions submitted to the UNFCCC.
Simply put, we have no time to lose. Heatwaves, extreme droughts and floods threaten the already vulnerable parts of our world. It is vital that we set our sights on the action at both COP27 and beyond, with the important goal of ensuring that the parties that can make a difference make their voices heard.
Good question. I believe that many cities have always played a part as a frontrunner of progressive climate policies but were simply never granted both financial aid and influence on national and international levels. I hope that with our efforts, cities’ voices will be heard more loudly in the future.
Utrecht has an extensive network of bike infrastructure throughout the city to encourage clean and healthy transportation. And we also have the biggest bike parking garage in the world.
Recently we have even turned a four-lane highway that used to be a historic canal going straight to the city, back to its original state. Now rainwater can be stored, and nature is allowed to flourish again.
Silesian is spoken by about half a million people in the south of the country
Legislators and magnates have to await a preliminary ruling from the European Court of Justice
The building will then serve as the site for a new museum dedicated to Finnish-Russian relations
The tool helps identify undeclared swimming pools and garden sheds
It will serve as a virtual companion to the municipal network of libraries in the country
In addition, the federal government has launched the National Week of Action against Bicycle Theft to raise awareness of the issue and the new solution
The tests are also experimenting with a charging point that is easier to maintain
Reportedly, the aim of the local government is to curb violence and disorder among the youth
The city thinks that it’s time to update pet-related street cleanliness rules for the 21st century
Yes, you guessed it right, that also includes baguettes and cheeses
Reportedly, the aim of the local government is to curb violence and disorder among the youth
Silesian is spoken by about half a million people in the south of the country
Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment.
Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements.
Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces
Catch up with some recommendations for the 2024 European Capital of Culture programme from the mayor of Tartu
An interview with the ICLEI regional director for Europe аfter the close of COP28
An interview with a member of the No Hate Speech Network team