Amsterdam bans creation of new hotels
Another piece in the overall strategy to reduce tourist flows to the city
This can end up being a major embarrassment for the French capital, as cleaning up the river was touted as a major green project
The opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games is fast approaching, however, it seems that there might be a big scandal brewing given that the Surfrider Foundation, an NGO studying the cleanliness of the world’s waters, announced that the Seine River remains dangerously polluted. The organization based these claims on analyses it had conducted in the past six months, declaring that the state of the river remained unsuitable for swimmers.
The cleaning up of the Paris main water artery was touted by the authorities as one of the cornerstone projects that would promote the 2024 Olympics as the first zero-waste Olympic Games in history. More than merely cleaning up the river, the promise went that its water would be so pristine that several swimming disciplines would take place there – including the triathlon race.
None other than President Emmanuel Macron and the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, have promised to take a dip in the river before the start of the Games, according to France24.
The entire clean-up operation is reportedly backed by an investment of 1.4 billion euros, which included the construction of water treatment plants (for sewage and storm waters), with a new stormwater facility to be inaugurated this month.
Yet, the measurements show a picture that is not optimistic and could even be quite embarrassing for the organizers.
We are two to three times above the minimum standards required for athletes to be able to compete safely during the season," Marc Valmassoni, Campaign Coordinator for the Foundation, told France Inter. This bacteriological presence of E.coli and Enterococci has potentially serious consequences for athletes, exposing them to pathologies such as gastro-enteritis, conjunctivitis, otitis and skin problems.
According to The Brussels Times, there’s “no plan B” in case the situation doesn’t drastically improve by the summer. What’s more, the plan was that after the Games, the Seine would be open to the general public for swimming, the way it was more than a hundred years ago.
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
Yes, you guessed it right, that also includes baguettes and cheeses
Reportedly, the aim of the local government is to curb violence and disorder among the youth
Silesian is spoken by about half a million people in the south of the country
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