Greetings, 

Ecocity World Summit 2015 convenes October 11-13 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. With a stellar line up of international, regional and local speakers and delegates, the 2015 edition of the conference series is shaping up to be powerful and insightful. 

You can read more about the themes and topics here. And it's not too late to join! 

A key outcome we hope to achieve in Abu Dhabi is a shared understanding that the ecocity provides a structure for solving many problems at once. Energy and land conserving ecocities make room for agriculture, healthy stocks of natural capital and wild nature. They create the context whereby foot and bicycle access is made easy by design, while at the same time solving local and global pollution problems all the way up to the scale of climate change. 
 
Probably the most desirable ripple effect from the above insights would be for ecocity development - both new city development and remodeling of existing cities over the coming decades - to be increasingly paired with natural sequestration of carbon by restoring and revitalizing grasslands, forests, peat lands, shallow seas and lakes.  

All the above would be truly momentous accomplishments. We hope that this coming meeting of the ecocity movement will further align awareness and actions towards the very promising social, environmental and economic implications of ecocities.

As we build, so shall we live, 
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Kirstin Miller, Executive Director


Keeper of the International Ecocity Conference Series, Ecocity Builders is a non-profit organization dedicated to reshaping cities, towns and villages for long-term health of human and natural systems.

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Ecocity Builders 
339 15th Street, Suite 208
Oakland CA 94612 USA
Ecocity World Summit 2015 - LAST CHANCE TO JOIN!

Online crowd-mapping: the key to better urban planning? 
Green By Blue
Learn more about the Ecocitizen World Map Project 

Is there an alternative to top-down urban planning? Can crowd-mapping technology empower local communities to stop unsustainable development and have a greater say in their cities?We met with Sven Eberlein, community liaison at Ecocity Builders in their Oakland, California, office to find out more about the Ecocitizen World Map Project. They believe this project could provide a citizen-led solution to sustainable urban development. The project is running pilots in Cairo, Casablanca, and Medellin.

Among the challenges in these cities are unregulated construction, and poor sanitation systems, and a staggeringly high rate of road deaths. Egypt, alone, had an average of 20 deaths daily on its roads in 2013.

Understanding and Developing Place as a Living Ecosystem
by Beatrice Benne, Ph.D
Workshop in Brittany, France, August 2015
Notes from the Field (PART 1)

These notes are PART 1 of a two-part series about my unique experience facilitating a Regenerative Development workshop in Brittany, France, this past August. PART 1 describes my intentions for the workshop, the process we went through over the 2.5 days, and highlights the key elements that I believe made the workshop a success. PART 2 presents our case study of the village of Crucuno where an ecovillage project is being planned; and the regenerative potential we uncovered for the project and the village.

PART 1: A Unique Workshop Experience
I was invited by my friend and colleague Anne Monmousseau, Executive Director of the University Terre&Mer (UTM), to facilitate a 2.5-day Regenerative Development learning experience for about 30 participants (architects; city planners; permaculture professionals; local change agents) on the beautiful peninsula of Saint-Pierre-Quiberon, in the Morbihan department, South Brittany, France. The theme of the event was: "Aménager le Territoire Comme un Ecosystème Vivant," which roughly translates as: "Understanding and Developing Place as a Living Ecosystem." The overall program included:


Anne Monmousseau, Exec. Dr. of the University Terre&Mer
Car Free Journey
Pittsburgh: Part 2
by Steve Atlas

http://www.matthewsmarking.com
                                                              http://www.matthewsmarking.com
 
Last month, we began our Car Free Journey to Pittsburgh. We introduced the city, described how to get there, where to stay, how to get around without needing to drive, and discussed some of the top attractions that make this a special place to visit. Here is a link to last month's column: http://www.ecocitybuilders.org/car-free-journey-pittsburgh-part-1/

This month, we will focus on what to do during your visit. We will learn about some interesting walks, neighborhoods to explore, attractions that meet a variety of special interests and needs, places to eat, and entertainment you can enjoy while you are here. 

 
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Founded in 1992, Ecocity Builders is a nonprofit organization dedicated to reshaping cities for the long-term health of human and natural systems.
 
www.ecocitybuilders.org 

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PRINCIPAL SPONSOR OF THE ECOCITY STANDARDS INITIATIVE

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Additional Partners and Sponsors


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UNISDR
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UN Habitat
 
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Spaces are still available for individuals and groups at the CoLab. Click here.

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Ecocity Builders members receive benefits including discounts to all Ecocity World Summits and access to special events. Membership is affordable and easy.

 

Ecocity Global Spotlight
Sustainable stories and highlights

All-blue Skies in Paris as City Centre Goes Car-free for First Time
The lack of sound on the Champs Elysées was striking.With the eight lanes of France's most famous avenue cleared of all traffic on Paris's first car-free day, the usual cacophony of car-revving and thundering motorbike engines had given way to the squeak of bicycle wheels, the clatter of skateboards, the laughter of children on rollerblades and even the gentle rustling of wind in the trees. 
San Diego Business Builds Urban Edible Landscapes 
Established in 2008, Urban Plantations was one of the nation's first edible landscaping companies. Offering year-round organic gardening and landscaping services to corporate, residential and assisted-living clients, this small company of 11 continues to grow while providing jobs and quality organic food to residents in the San Diego area.

China to Start Cap-and Trade to Limit Greenhouse Gas Emissions in 2017
President Xi Jinping announced a landmark commitment on Sept. 25 to commence a cap-and-trade program in 2017, going further than the U.S. to limit emissions.

 

 

Masdar is Abu Dhabi's multi-faceted renewable energy company with a mission to invest, incubate and establish a commercially viable new-energy industry in Abu Dhabi and around the world. Masdar also plays an important role in extending Abu Dhabi's energy leadership beyond hydrocarbons, thereby supporting economic diversification and human capital development.. The company serves as a link between today's fossil-fuel economy and the energy economy of the future.

 

 

Masdar is a sponsor of Ecocity World Summit 2015 and will be hosting a tour and gala reception for delegates at Masdar City.
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