After 4.5 years living in Amsterdam, some things continue to fascinate me: dogs on bikes, moving by bike and kids on bikes to name but a few. Sensing a pattern? Indeed, my fascination concentrates on the bicycle lifestyle. No matter how long I live in this cycle city, this is something that I cannot, nor… Read More Amsterdam: Family transport in Dutch minivans, also known as bicycles
I was recently in Bangkok for a meeting of the Montreal Protocol (governing substances that deplete the ozone layer) held at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific campus. The weeklong event meant my exposure to this city of 7 million was limited to the areas between the UN campus… Read More Bangkok: hustle, bustle and unexpected secrets
In March I submitted my PhD, entitled, Urban Climate Governance: The Role of Local Authorities. To celebrate, I took a spontaneous trip to Hanoi, Vietnam – booking a ticket on a Friday to leave that Sunday. Admittedly extravagant, it was a lovely way to celebrate such a milestone. I’ve always been enchanted by images of Vietnamese landscapes, and with… Read More Hanoi: synergy in chaos
Lund University’s International Institute of Industrial and Environmental Economics (or IIIEE, my alma mater in Sweden) was involved in the design and delivery of a new Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) entitled, “Greening the Economy: Lessons from Scandinavia.” (See also the United Nations Environment Programme’s work on the Green Economy concept.) This (free) online 5-week… Read More Green Lifestyles and Cities: Lessons from Scandinavia
On 13 and 14 February 2015, representatives from 450 cities in 60 countries marched, sang, danced, cycled and otherwise celebrated Global Divestment Day, making a public statement to encourage or proclaim to divest from fossil fuels. Amsterdam was one of those cities, showing off a little planetary love at this Valentines Day event. What is divestment?… Read More Fossil free divestment: coming to a city near you
In London (population circa 8.5 million) its residents are always be on the go, taking off to the next destination on one of its double-decker buses, in its beeping taxis, in private cars or swerving through the city on its growing population of city bikes. While these bicycles are a happy site in this massive city,… Read More London Underground Repurposed: Hello Tube Cycle
How cool is it to be a passenger on the bus? Cool enough to date Ms. Uruguay apparently and have loads of fans anticipating your every move. Leave it to the Danish bus company, Midtraffik, to prove not just how cool taking the bus is – but also how cool the passengers that ride the… Read More Get cool. Ride the bus.
I usually reserve my blog for writing about cities and urban sustainability, however I’m in the midst of the final PhD thesis crunch, writing about the connection between climate change and cities. (I’ve already warned my parents I may be a little on edge this Christmas, but what better New Year’s Resolution than: finish that… Read More Climate change communication 101
UNFCCC COP20 in Lima, Peru This blog post (see original) was written and published on the Institute for Development’s Eldis website, as part of a series of blogs published during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP20) underway in Lima, Peru from 1- 12 December 2014. It discusses why cities serve an apt platform to tackle climate change, and the challenges and opportunities of urban climate… Read More Cities & the climate crisis – part of the problem, and the solution
I’m a child of late summer evenings, but equally a fan of the coming autumn chill. The air is crisper, justifying the second (or third) cup of lazy morning coffee waiting for the sun to show itself and warm the day. I love wool and eagerly await the chance to pull my favourite sweaters out… Read More Utrecht in high heels: kayaking through history and seasons
The Urban Observer 