Karl Dickinson

Cities aren’t inclusive. It’s evident in how they’re laid out, the policies that govern us, and the mindsets of inhabitants. There’s a way to change this. Mainstreaming gender and intersectionality results in more inclusive, fairer, safer, and more prosperous cities. We ask a consultant in the field, Safaa Charafi,...

In the realm of climate change and sustainability, how much do the words we use matter? A lot. As any linguist will tell you, language shapes our relationship with the world around us. Recently, a colleague made me aware of research into the phrases and tone of voice that holds people’s...

What links an elephant habitat and sustainable cities? Today we’re challenging the way we look at urban sustainability by standing at the vantage point of outwards looking in – from the forest to the city. Chris Kaiser, founder of Click A Tree and reforestation entrepreneur, walks us through the...

Economic hardship drives many struggling city centres to relent and force manufacturing and commerce to give way to residential developments. But some cities are resisting. The historic Abattoir site in Brussels is proof of how we can revive historic districts with modern concepts like circularity, diversification, and public participation. Found...

As a pedestrian, have you ever crossed the road and waved in appreciation to the driver who stopped to let you go, despite it being you right of way? And how many times have you approached a similar crossing only for the traffic to speed by with scant regard for...

Sustainable urban mobility is about so much more than halting climate change. Cities are rife with societal and economic challenges; finding better ways to move offers chances to level the playing field. We spoke to a former Young Leader and expert in the field, Jamie Wylie, about the practical...

With so many properties failing to meet contemporary energy efficiency standards, much needs to be done to save occupants from needless discomfort and expense. There are plenty of mainstream retrofit concepts, but what about something different? CityChangers.org takes a sideways look at how you can innovate retrofitting to heat,...

Vancouver has undergone a blue-green infrastructure revolution. Its Rain City Strategy integrated nature making the city more resilient to fluctuations in rainfall. Behind it all is Melina Scholefield, a CityChanger with an impressive portfolio and knack for getting things done! She tells us all about Van City’s multidisciplinary approach...

CityChangers.org has introduced this series of editorials as a chance for our writing team and guests to air personal opinions on the problems, solutions, and lived experiences in our urban spaces. In this first piece, we suggest that it’s important to hear and respond to contradictory voices and invite...

While people go hungry, there’s no justification for food waste – itself a massive contributor to destructive climate change emissions. What began as a one-woman mission to redistribute unwanted food has become a global phenomenon. We speak to Ronni Kahn AO, CEO of OzHarvest, about how sometimes we can...

Few firms have the level of recognition that Arup enjoys. This has given Vincent Lee the chance to work on an impressive array of projects since joining the New York office in 2006. He shares what he has learnt from using green infrastructure in urban water management projects around...

Public participation matters. It brings democracy and diverse perspectives to city design. But it can be difficult to get right. Smart technology hands us new opportunities for engagement. Today we learn about one of the pioneering tools in this field – Maptionnaire – and get pointers from the experts...

Day Zero: the moment a city’s water dries up completely. For Cape Town, this deadly scenario came too close, but it was averted thanks to collective action and decisive leadership. This story serves as a get-started guide to conservation for any city wishing to turn the tides on water...

Water touches on almost every aspect of our lives and cities. Initially, it appears to be a large and unwieldy beast. Maybe to create sustainable urban systems, we need to break down the components: consumption, sanitation, pollution, waste, biodiversity, runoff, scarcity and stress, flooding, power generation, leisure, cooling, etc....

With water flowing in from beyond the city boundaries, how can we realistically keep it in check? The International Water Association’s 17 principles for water-wise cities may hold the answer. In this article, we take you through the basics of urban water resilience and management. It’s an ideal starting...

What water is available to cities is unevenly distributed and increasingly stressed due to population growth. Human activity backed by poor policy safeguards increases volumes of wastewater, reduces that of potable quality, and triggers erratic drought-and-flood conditions by way of climate change. Effective urban water management is only possible...

Indianapolis saw an opportunity. They had plans for a cultural trail, bringing arts, pride, and improved mobility options to the downtown area. This also handed the city a chance to deal with the amount and quality of stormwater returning to nature. The solution was bioswales. Indianapolis Cultural Trail Kären Sullivan Haley...

The more we build, the more we disrupt natural water systems, calling into question whether we’ll have enough to sustain growing city populations. Prioritising water management and blue infrastructure will enable urban environments to prosper in the face of unpredictable weather conditions. We take a sweeping look at how...