How to thrive in cities? Re-think public spaces

During the pandemic, remote work has prompted many to rediscover their neighborhoods, their local community, and take a fresh look at public spaces. Suddenly, living near an area where one could walk, socialize, shop, and interact with others became a desirable element of urban living.

The need to rethink urban spaces to make them more hospitable and welcoming to their residents is one of the main themes of this year’s European Mobility Week, alongside people, packages, planning and politics.

European cities offer many examples of how the restructuring of urban places has led to both environmental and social improvements.

A current project was taking place in Slovenia Ljubljana’s main street from a hub of noise and air pollution in an urban haven. Read how Slovenska Cesta is now an area where residents can walk peacefully, ride bikes safely and run errands in a peaceful environment: https://eurocities.eu/stories/the-new-life-of-ljubljanas-main-street/

Next, learn about Florence’s ongoing plan to transform its center into a pedestrian, bicycle and e-mobility area where the city’s legendary beauty can shine in a car-free environment: https://eurocities.eu/stories/greater-mobility-less-autos/

Sustainable mobility is a big box and encompasses much more than cycling and walking. in Utrecht, The local waterway serves as a green and healthy route from the main train station to the city center: https://eurocities.eu/stories/utrecht-from-car-to-boat/

The greening of urban spaces is another crucial step in the sustainable transformation of cities. Trees absorb CO2 emissions, help reduce sweltering temperatures and improve biodiversity. What if we could combine nature with active mobility and have it all in one package? Grenoble did just that. Learn how it stood out from the crowd with an overhaul that improved air quality, sustainable mobility and energy efficiency and earned it the title of European Green Capital 2022: https://eurocities.eu/latest/grenoble-european-green-capital/

If you want more, check out the city council and the local university in Lisbon have joined forces on a greening project to “Restore Street Life in a Changing World”: https://eurocities.eu/stories/nature-and-technology-for-a-climate-changing-mediterranean-street-life/