Will Reading be the European Green Capital 2016?

Rdg CAN!:

– Have a well-established record of achieving high environmental objectives.

– Commit to ambitious goals for future environmental improvement and sustainable development.

– Inspire other cities through new ideas, best practices and experiences.

LOGO CE_Vertical_EN_quadri

Will your city be the European Green Capital 2016? The Commission has launched its search for the 2016 European Green Capital. The European Green Capital Award recognises cities that are at the forefront of environmentally-friendly urban living. The..

Read more here: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-13-585_en.htm?goback=%2Egna_4704185%2Egde_4704185_member_252057251#%21

Reading 2050: Revealing Reading’s Potential

Following our inaugural Reading 2050 networking event for young property professionals, this report examines Reading’s standing in the UK, areas where the town could be improved and ideas for development going forward.

Barton Willmore have compiled thoughts and ideas from the June networking event alongside some interesting statistics on Reading in the Reading 2050 Introductory Report.

READING2050 REVEALING READING´S POTENTIAL
READING2050
REVEALING READING´S POTENTIAL

You can download the report here: http://www.bartonwillmore.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/GA-Reading-research-doc-version-3D-low-res.pdf

 

George Osborne unveils ‘most generous tax breaks in world’ for fracking

We must have centralised energy policies at ALL COSTS!

@ClimateRDG This is an open request to Reading Climate Change Partnership #Climateready

SUPPORT CCCRdg now! – https://tvb-climatechallenge.org.uk/partners/

Anti Fracking – UK anti-fracking animation June 2013. “There’s No Tomorrow”

Links:
George Osborne unveils ‘most generous tax breaks in world’ for fracking
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/jul/19/george-osborne-tax-break-fracking-shale-environment?

Fracking Water Warning As Tax Break Announced
http://news.sky.com/story/1117721/fracking-water-warning-as-tax-break-announced

UK Fracking WARNING idiots – Risk of small earthquakes triggered by larger temblors across the globe
http://www.climatecentral.org/news/distant-quakes-trigger-temblors-in-the-oil-patch-study-16238

Former Mobil VP Warns of Fracking and Climate Change
http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/17605-former-mobil-vp-warns-of-fracking-and-climate-change

This Is What Fracking Really Looks Like
http://www.slate.com/blogs/behold/2013/07/19/nina_berman_fractured_the_shale_play_looks_at_lives_affected_by_fracking.html?utm_source=tw&utm_medium=sm&utm_campaign=button_toolbar

Gangplank to a Warm Future
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/29/opinion/gangplank-to-a-warm-future.html?_r=1&

,,and the list goes on and on..

Team CCCRdg

The part on climate change from the G8 communique – definitely not enough

, and it wasn’t high on the agenda or saying anything particularly new – but worth a read anyway.

“Climate change is one of the foremost challenges for our future economic growth and well-being. We remain strongly committed to addressing the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions significantly by 2020 and to pursue our low carbon path afterwards, with a view to doing our part to limit effectively the increase in global temperature below 2ºC above pre-industrial levels, consistent with science.

We will pursue ambitious and transparent action, both domestically and internationally, in the UNFCCC, complemented by actions addressed through other relevant fora.

We recognise climate change as a contributing factor in increased economic and security risks globally. The G8 has agreed to consider means to better respond to this challenge and its associated risks, recalling that international climate policy and sustainable economic development are mutually reinforcing.

We … note with grave concern the gap between current country pledges and what is needed, and will work towards increasing mitigation ambition in the period to 2020. We reiterate our commitment to the developed countries’ goal of mobilising jointly $100billion of climate finance per year by 2020 from a wide variety of sources in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and are advancing our efforts to continue to improve the transparency of international climate finance flows. We welcome the efforts of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to mobilise political will through 2014 towards a successful global agreement in 2015 during the Conference of the Parties that France stands ready to host.”

From: (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/207771/Lough_Erne_2013_G8_Leaders_Communique.pdf):

via Healthy Planet UK.

Tele2arena – Bike racks for 1000 bikes!

There are bright spots in life, new modern (safe) bike racks are regularly being installed in places like underground- train, bus stations.

But newly constructed venues seem to be an exception. It is not cyclist friendly; there is not a bike rack in sight. In a recent press release came from the large Småland furniture manufacturer (IKEA) regarding a trading post built at the southern city of Stockholm in the old slaughterhouse area. Quote from IKEA’s press release. “Its central location also makes the market place becomes easy to reach by public transport ? and in the next breath will notify you that the planned number of parking places is 4000 ?.

The message is: Going by public transport is great, but we are creating up to 4,000 car parking spaces, and have not considered cyclists and their needs.

But there is hope. This is a message in the subway close to IKEA, a new sports arena taking place:

Tele2-Cykelparkering2 = TELE2

The Tele2 arena have made 1000 bike parking places available from start. Hopefully this is the modern way of planning / thinking, and thus less room for “the bewildered cyclist ?” looking desperately for a space to park his bike – nice.

Src: U&We http://uandwe.se/den-forvirrade-cyklisten/

Coal’s unpaid health bill – Health and Environment Alliance

How is coal pollution making us sick?

A new report launched on 7 March 2013 by the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) aims to provide an overview of the scientific evidence of how air pollution impacts health and how emissions from coal power plants are implicated in this. It presents the first-ever economic assessment of the health costs associated with air pollution from coal power plants in Europe as well as testimonies from leading health advocates, medical experts and policy makers on why they are concerned about coal.

The-unpaid-health-bill

The report develops recommendations for policy-makers and the health community on how to address the unpaid health bill and ensure that it is taken into account in future energy decisions.

Download the report here (45 pages):
http://www.env-health.org/IMG/pdf/heal_report_the_unpaid_health_bill_how_coal_power_plants_make_us_sick_final.pdf

Margaret Thatcher: an unlikely green hero? | John Vidal

The former prime minister helped put climate change, acid rain and pollution onto the mainstream political map

Artist Lambert paints Britain's former Prime Minister Thatcher at his studio in Brighton

An artist paints a portrait of Margaret Thatcher. Her 11 years in power coincided with a decade of profound national and global environmental change. Photograph: Luke Macgregor/REUTERS

Margaret Thatcher will be remembered for her short lived “green period” in the late 1980s when she helped put climate change (or global warming as it was then known), acid rain and pollution on to the mainstream political map. Tutored by Sir Crispin Tickell, British ambassador to the UN in New York, she made several dramatic environment speeches..

Jonathon Porritt, head of Friends of the Earth in the late 1980s,

via Margaret Thatcher: an unlikely green hero? | John Vidal | Environment | guardian.co.uk.

Cycling in Reading vs Malmö vs Timisoara

Bikes are the most energy-efficient form of transport and can be faster and more predictable than car or bus for short journeys.

For example, at a relatively comfortable 10mph, you can cycle from Green Park to The Oracle in 15 minutes – burning around 100 calories in the process.

Cycling regularly can keep you fit, save you money (no tax, no fuel, no fares) and it’s one of the most environmentally-friendly ways to travel.

Whether you are an experienced or inexperienced cyclist, planning a journey to work, school or for leisure, Reading Borough Council is happy to provide copies of this cycle map. Please call 0118 937 4881 for hard copies. Alternatively it is online at http://www.reading-travelinfo.co.uk/cycling.aspx

Reading Cycle Routes
This page provides detailed descriptions of the thirteen Reading Cycle Routes along with access to downloadable maps which provide information on the on-street cycle facilities, gradients and destinations en route. Each of the cycle routes terminates in central Reading, linking through a network of central cycle links to form a network encompassing the Reading Borough Council area and beyond
http://www.reading-travelinfo.co.uk/cycling/routes.aspx

Download Reading cycle Network Route Map here:
http://www.reading-travelinfo.co.uk/media/81145/Reading_Cycle_Routes_Network_Map_V5_Nov_2012.pdf


Bicycle Malmö

Bicycle Malmö 2012 from Martin Lang on Vimeo.

 

Bicycle Timisoara

Zero emissions, reduced stress, a fitter body and money saved are the most popular individual wishes for the people wanting a sustainable urban area to live in. One human-powered vehicle can make those wishes coming true in a medium size Romanian city…
http://sustainablecitiescollective.com/big-city/133016/cycling-challenges-and-opportunities-timisoara

Original article