Europe

Germany's experience in implementing environmentally-friendly concepts like green roofs, wind power and other renewables is pointing the way for many American decisionmakers.

May 27, 2009 - The New York Times

Sochi, Russia, is set to host the 2014 Winter Olympics. But work on the site has hardly begun, according to this report from The Moscow Times.

May 19, 2009 - The Moscow Times

Vauban, Germany is a new suburb that is part of the 'smart planning movement'. It is car-free, i.e. the streets are car-free, while car ownership is allowed but restricted to two garages, and the cost unbundled. Only 30% of families own cars.

May 12, 2009 - The New York Times - Environment

A new mapping project is creating a comprehensive 3D image of the catacombs beneath Rome.

May 7, 2009 - BBC

The Spanish government is moving forward with plans to build the largest casino and entertainment complex in Europe

May 1, 2009 - BBC

In this video, police in Denmark stop cyclists without helmets, hug them, and give them new helmets.

April 29, 2009 - Boing Boing

Vatican City has plans to build the largest solar plant in Europe, which will supply enough power for 40,000 households in a state of 900 inhabitants.

April 23, 2009 - Bloomberg

By the end of the year, Spain is on course to have a more extensive high-speed rail system than both Japan and France. The system is changing hearts and minds across this usually home-bound nation.

April 21, 2009 - The Wall St. Journal

The Vatican has announced plans to build Europe's largest solar plant to power the state.

April 21, 2009 - Bloomberg

Germany, while similarly autocentric, has managed to create a much more sustainable transportation system than the U.S., according to a study commissioned the by Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program.

April 18, 2009 - Brookings

A new community program in Rotterdam is bringing a food truck with new eating options -- and business opportunities -- to working class neighborhoods.

April 18, 2009 - Metropolis

Dogs in Moscow have learned to ride the subway to and from "work".

April 10, 2009 - English Russia

France is hoping to establish a "darkness reserve" by regulating street lighting in towns and villages near a mountaintop observatory.

April 6, 2009 - Discovery

This piece from the New York Times looks at a program in Italy the encourages children to walk to school.

March 27, 2009 - The New York Times

Nine-month study commissioned by President Nicolas Sarkozy aims to transform Paris and its surrounding suburbs into the first sustainable “post-Kyoto" city.

March 19, 2009 - The New York Times

In the next few months, the Dutch capital will make numerous changes to make its infrastructure greener. With the help of private companies like Cisco and IBM, Amsterdam is closer to becoming a "smart city" than any other in Europe.

March 19, 2009 - BusinessWeek

In the latest episode of his podcast, James Howard Kunstler provides commentary on the urbanism of Paris. By following along with Google Street View, you can walk the streets and see what he sees.

March 19, 2009 - KunstlerCast

Good green jobs are on the way - just not right away due to recession. Stimulus funds - not just from U.S. but many nations are investing in their economies by targeting renewable energy, smart electricity grids, energy efficiency, and more.

March 17, 2009 - Financial Times - Business & The Environment

Stockholm is seeking bids for a redesign of its city center, and the five plans in contention all seek to fix the damage wrought by modernist planning.

March 16, 2009 - The New York Times

CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) is an abbreviation that may become more common if the coal industry has its way. But The Economist argues that carbon taxes are a better way to improve the environment than investing in CCS technology.

March 14, 2009 - Minneapolis Star-Tribune