Posts tagged with 'Japan'
No Safe Journeys for Women: Why Mobility Systems in African Cities Are Failing Women’s Needs
No Safe Journeys for Women: Why Mobility Systems in African Cities Are Failing Women’s Needs
For a woman living in an African city, public transport can be a daunting experience. Women usually plan their trips in advance, and consider a multitude of factors before setting out: What is the safest way to reach the bus ...
Post-Pandemic, Public Transport Needs to Get Back on Track to Meet Global Climate Goals
Post-Pandemic, Public Transport Needs to Get Back on Track to Meet Global Climate Goals
Public transport is one of the best, most cost-effective solutions available to address today’s climate and development challenges. Buses and trains can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to two-thirds per passenger, per kilometer compared to private vehicles. The UN’s latest ...
How Mobility-as-a-Service Platforms Can Pilot Greener Travel Behaviors
How Mobility-as-a-Service Platforms Can Pilot Greener Travel Behaviors
A new digital platform being piloted in cities around the world is making public transportation more efficient, economical and accessible, while encouraging low-carbon travel. Mobility-as-a-Service is an on-demand service that integrates various forms of transportation services into a single platform accessible ...
Learnings from the G7 Roundtable on Subnational Climate Actions
Learnings from the G7 Roundtable on Subnational Climate Actions
With recognition of the vital role of both subnational and national governments in the climate agenda, the G7 Roundtable on Subnational Climate Actions was established by the G7 Climate, Energy and Environment Ministers Meeting in 2023 under the presidency of Japan. The ...
These Countries Are Adopting Electric Vehicles the Fastest
These Countries Are Adopting Electric Vehicles the Fastest
Electric vehicle sales have been growing exponentially due to falling costs, improving technology and government support. Globally, 10% of passenger vehicles sold in 2022 were all-electric, according to analysis of data from the International Energy Agency. That’s 10 times more than ...
4 Actions Vulnerable Countries Need from COP28
4 Actions Vulnerable Countries Need from COP28
The conclusion of the Global Stocktake at COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates this December will evaluate how much progress the international Paris Agreement on climate change has made in the fight against the climate crisis and what more is needed to ...
5 Shifts Needed to Transform Transportation Systems and Meet Climate Goals
5 Shifts Needed to Transform Transportation Systems and Meet Climate Goals
Transportation connects us to one another. It’s how we get to school and work, how we visit our families, and how we access our food and health care. It’s also how we ship goods and deliver services. As economies and ...
6 Ways to Make City Streets Safer for Pedestrians
6 Ways to Make City Streets Safer for Pedestrians
For many city leaders, more cars and more highways mean better transportation. And during the current pandemic, fear of COVID-19’s spread is pushing some to turn to private vehicles. But a safe, sustainable transport future does not include further dependence ...
Traumatized and Trapped: After Sexual Assault, How Can Cities Welcome Women Back to Public Transport?
Traumatized and Trapped: After Sexual Assault, How Can Cities Welcome Women Back to Public Transport?
Sexual assault on public transit is all too common. In Bogotá, Colombia, an incredible 37% of female riders of the bus rapid transit system report experiencing unwanted sexual contact while using the system, according to new research, funded in part ...
5 Major Cities Threatened by Climate Change and Sea Level Rise
5 Major Cities Threatened by Climate Change and Sea Level Rise
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently released a special report on the social and economic consequences of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) of warming compared to 2 degrees Celsius. Changing the temperature in your home by one or two ...
Energy Use in Buildings: What’s Culture Got to Do with It?
Energy Use in Buildings: What’s Culture Got to Do with It?
When the March 11, 2011 earthquake in Japan caused a series of energy shortages throughout the country, the national government recommended that office buildings cut back on air conditioning during the summer months in order to reduce power usage. Through ...
A growing coalition of cities, NGOs, and private companies are advancing building efficiency efforts that save money and greenhouse gas emissions. Photo by Omar Barcena/Flickr.
Unlocking low-carbon growth through energy efficient cities
Urbanization is reshaping the economy, energy systems, and climate of our planet. By 2050, the world’s cities are expected to add 2.5 billion people who will need housing, hospitals, schools, and places to work. Though global greenhouse gas emissions continue ...
One of the best ways cities can promote cycling might have nothing to do with biking itself. These innovations make bike parking easier, improving transport access, giving bikers peace of mind, and saving urban space. Photo by Joe Newman/Flickr.
Friday Fun: Two genius bike-parking ideas give cyclists a care-free commute
For urban commuters, a safe, convenient place to store their bike can be the difference between choosing to cycle and needing to drive. Even in bicycle-friendly cities, cyclists can still face the challenge of having to lug their bike on ...
Would you be more likely to bike if the hills in your city had bike escalators? Photo by Miljøpakken/Flickr.
Friday Fun: Uphill cycling a breeze thanks to this city's bike escalator
Do steep hills prevent you from biking? They don’t have to. The city of Trondheim, Norway, has demonstrated an original way to promote cycling: make uphill biking easy. Called the “Trampe CycloCable,” this 130-meter bike lift pushes cyclists using a ...
Japan's shotengais - partly enclosed markets - succeed both because of their proximity to transport and the unique, tightly knit communities they foster. Photo by Michael Vito/Flickr.
Friday Fun: Japan’s shotengais show connectivity and community are key to commercial success
Even as malls are declining as social spaces in the United States, shotengais (商店街) – pedestrianized business districts covered with translucent roofs – remain a part of everyday life in Japanese cities. Shotengais are generally located near transport hubs and ...
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