CABE and Urban Practitioners are developing an online resource with the English core cities to help strategic decision-makers use urban design and management to respond to the challenges of climate change.

It will be launched to the public in January 2009.

Cities can change for the better

Over half of the world’s population lives in urban areas, consume 75% of all resources and create 75% of all waste. In the UK, the built environment contributes to over half of all our CO2 emissions.

Cities are best placed to lead action to reduce our emissions. The way we plan, design and manage them provides solutions to adapting to a changing climate and mitigating any further changes.

It is CABE’s belief that a proactive response from cities can deliver much better places to live and work.

Supporting leadership

The website will provide inspiration, thought leadership and support for strategic decision makers in cities. It will assist the challenge of prioritising effective spatial policies and actions to deliver attractive, competitive cities in the light of a changing climate.

It will embrace the social, economic and environmental dimensions of creating sustainable cities.

Shortcut to knowledge

Compiled by leading experts, sustainablecities.org.uk provides access to instant knowledge.

It plugs into existing research and evidence, signposting further detail and information available elsewhere.

It distinguishes fact from opinion and, vitally, explains evolving and unresolved issues.

Emphasising spatial connections

There is an acknowledged gap in thinking about cities as spatially connected, complex systems.

Sustainablecities.org.uk will help prioritise effective spatial policies and interventions across different scales: from the regional, through the city scale, down to the neighbourhood and building scales.