This archive collects milestone stories where cities are the driving force behind positive change. From urban planning breakthroughs to local policy wins, these stories highlight how municipal governments, city agencies, and urban communities around the world are solving real problems.
The ban will limit the number of gas stations to their current count of 16 while also preventing these from expanding the number of fuel pumps. The move, celebrated by climate activists, is a national first and represents a crucial step towards cutting our reliance on dirty fossil fuels.
Denver’s new Support Team Assistance Response responded to 748 incidents, with not a single one of them requiring police or leading to arrests or jail-time.
The developers hope to make the city one of the world’s largest-scale testing grounds for zero-emission technologies. If the initiative works as proposed, Gothenburg Green City Zone will implement 100% emission-free transport modes by 2030.
The Somerville City Council voted 9-0 to decriminalize the possession of entheogenic plants, including psilocybin mushrooms and ibogaine.
Last year, the city recorded zero pedestrian or cyclist deaths, bringing the capital in line with its “Vision Zero”, an undertaking to eliminate all fatalities on public roads.
In November, San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors voted to ban natural gas in new buildings. On December 2, Oakland’s city council did the same. Now Seattle Mayor Durkan announced a proposal to ban natural gas in new commercial and large multi-family construction for space and most water heating.
Starting next year in Anchorage, Alaska, a new team of mental health first responders will replace police for emergency calls for someone with a mental health issue. The Mobile Crisis Team is funded by a new local alcohol tax and the team is trained to be dispatched to situations police do not have adequate training to address.
The move is part of the province’s $6.7 billion investment over the next five years to help it reduce its impact on climate change.
Thanks to a new pilot program, 911 calls in New York City that are evidently mental health-related will be taken care of by mental health and crisis workers instead of law enforcement. The move is the result of months of protests around the country over police brutality, sparked by the tragic death of George Floyd.
Austin’s new transit plan will build a new rail system with 31 stations, four rapid bus routes, new on-demand shuttles to take people to transit stations, and new park-and-ride stations. The city will also reserve $300 million to ensure that residents aren’t displaced from their homes as a result of gentrification.
