November 21, 2011 - Last year the European Union began honoring cities for exemplary environmental efforts by designating one each year as the “European Green Capital.” Stockholm won the designation for 2010, and Hamburg won it for 2011. The tenth largest city in Europe (city population 1.8 million, metro area 4.3 million), Hamburg earned the award by showing that it had both a typical range of urban environmental challenges and an ambitious program of solutions for addressing them.
I am particularly impressed that Hamburg’s application led with redevelopment, demonstrating that the city is directing growth inward. HafenCity Hamburg, for example, is Europe’s largest city development project, on 388 acres of former industrial land in between Hamburg’s downtown and the Elbe river. When completed, it will add 5,500 homes (some subsidized to be affordable) along with shops, parks, entertainment, schools and daycare, offices, and a university on what has basically been a massive brownfield. All, of course, will be walkable, transit-accessible, and compliant with the city’s green building standards. read more>>>
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