Amsterdam bans creation of new hotels
Another piece in the overall strategy to reduce tourist flows to the city
Volta Trucks debuts the heavy Volta Zero in Munich and Frankfurt
The world’s first fully-electric 16-tonne truck build specifically for urban environments, The Volta Zero made its commercial debut in Munich and Frankfurt earlier this month. The Swedish company, Volta Trucks launched the product back in September 2020 and has already presented it in France, Italy and Spain. The first vehicles will be operational by the end of the year.
For as long as cities have existed, they have been epicentres of disease and pollution, exposing their inhabitants to toxins detrimental to human health. This is even truer since the Industrial Revolution when factories and power plants dotted the skylines with their smog-producing chimneys.
Lungs seem to be the human organ that civilisation brutalises preferentially, as the effects of pollution seamlessly integrate with our daily lives and we adapt to them often without noticing it.
In fact, to this day, most of the globe is dangerously polluted, according to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) standards.
Share of the population exposed to air pollution above WHO guidelines 2016. Source: Our World in Data
Volta Zero is part of a wider trend of solutions to the problem of air pollution. The number and popularity of electric cars on the roads have been rising, yet there are not that many options when it comes to heavy hauling vehicles.
Electrifying truck fleets can no doubt have a massive impact on air quality. The Volta Zero is the first fully-electric truck to be designed specifically for urban environments and city-centre deliveries.
Its 220⁰ glasshouse-style cabin and cameras in place of rear-view mirrors make it very adaptable to the narrow streets and corners of a crowded city. The Volta Zero has a range of 150-200 km before it needs to be recharged, so its adoption can help cities with their contaminated air issues.
This comes at a time when the EU is pushing hard on decarbonising the continent. Many cities have already announced the introduction of low-carbon zones, such as Madrid in Spain with its “zona de bajas emisiones”, and Germany with its “Umweltzone”. Italy and the Netherlands have also joined the fray.
Europe is trying to fix the problem and make cities liveable, yet, alarmists have been pointing out that this is a case of doing too little and too late when it comes to climate change. All we can do is wait and see if solutions, such as this one can revert the negative climate tide.
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Silesian is spoken by about half a million people in the south of the country
Legislators and magnates have to await a preliminary ruling from the European Court of Justice
The building will then serve as the site for a new museum dedicated to Finnish-Russian relations
The tool helps identify undeclared swimming pools and garden sheds
It will serve as a virtual companion to the municipal network of libraries in the country
In addition, the federal government has launched the National Week of Action against Bicycle Theft to raise awareness of the issue and the new solution
The tests are also experimenting with a charging point that is easier to maintain
Reportedly, the aim of the local government is to curb violence and disorder among the youth
The city thinks that it’s time to update pet-related street cleanliness rules for the 21st century
For the English-speakers that would be Saint Domnius, the patron saint of the Dalmatian capital
The famed torch will pass through more than 400 cities and towns in both Metropolitan and Overseas France
Yes, you guessed it right, that also includes baguettes and cheeses
Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment.
Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements.
Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces
Catch up with some recommendations for the 2024 European Capital of Culture programme from the mayor of Tartu
An interview with the ICLEI regional director for Europe аfter the close of COP28
An interview with a member of the No Hate Speech Network team