The Council for European Urbanism (CEU) and CNU launch joint effort

The Council for European Urbanism (CEU) and the Congress for New Urbanism (CNU) are launching a joint effort to counter the effects of global warming. During CEU’s Urban Design and Climate Change conference in Oslo, Norway, in mid-September, the two organizations pledged to collaborate on an “Oslo-Denver Initiative” that will be aimed at “promoting practical measures in urban and regional development to reduce the effects of climate change.” Two of the topics that have been suggested as the initial focus of the initiative are “sustainable regions and transit” and “compact development patterns,” Harald Kegler of Germany, chair of CEU, wrote in a CEU blog. CNU Chair Ray Gindroz and Charles Bohl of the University of Miami proposed that “CNU’s contribution (via the Congress) can be to focus on projects and practical implementation through design.” The three-day conference in Oslo “had an amazing international turnout, more than 80 papers from nations on six continents,” Bohl told New Urban News. “About 70 of the participants signed up wanting to participate in the Oslo-Denver initiative.” “Our goal is to find ways of creating beautiful, sustainable neighborhoods, cities, and regions that not only reduce energy use and climate impact but also enhance the quality of life,” Kegler said. “Through a creative exchange of analyses, techniques, concepts, tools, and models, we hope to develop new solutions.”