Brussels, Dublin, Sofia and Tirana have been selected to pilot the first digital rights governance framework for cities. The framework, developed by the Cities Coalition for Digital Rights, UN-Habitat, UCLG and Eurocities, in partnership with Open Society Foundations, aims to help cities put the commitments,...
A citizen-led air quality project in Brussels, Belgium has revealed a striking disparity in pollution levels across the city. Results from the CurieuzenAir initiative – the Belgian capital’s largest ever ‘citizen science’ project on air quality – found that socio-economically vulnerable neighbourhoods were more likely...
Auckland, New Zealand has been ranked as the world’s ‘spongiest’ city by engineering consultancy Arup. The firm’s Global Sponge Cities Snapshot report examined the amount of green space and permeable local soil in seven major global cities – London, New York, Singapore, Auckland, Mumbai, Nairobi...
‘Eat less, move more’ is the simplistic advice often given about how to shed excess pounds. But most people who have tried to lose weight know it is rarely as straightforward as that. A new programme in Leicester is using artificial intelligence to provide more...
Before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Kyiv residents used the city’s official app to buy transport tickets and pay for parking but overnight it has been transformed into a life-saving tool. The Kyiv Digital app – which has 1.5 million users – now warns residents...
Cities are using data and new digital tools to help businesses recover from the pandemic and adapt for the future. Sarah Wray explores how these efforts are working out. Covid-19 lockdowns and turbulence over the past two years hit high streets and urban centres hard....
Greater Manchester will cap bus fares at £2 (US$2.61) for adults and £1 for children as part of a shake-up of public transport in the UK city. It follows a landmark ruling at the Royal Courts of Justice last week which sided with Greater Manchester Mayor...
The government of New Zealand has announced that it will halve public transport fares for three months from the beginning of April as part of a cost-of-living package to offer relief from the global energy crisis triggered by the war in Ukraine. The government is...
The London borough of Westminster is rolling out a new digital card which residents will be able to use to access a range of local services. It is understood to be one of the first multi-service digital cards to be implemented by a UK local...
The dangers of polluted air are well known – some cities are now taking a similar approach to also crack down on urban noise. Christopher Carey looks at the technologies and policies that are emerging. Ever had a pleasant city stroll interrupted by a loud...
