Cities are in a curious position when it comes to climate change: they both drive it, and address it. Or at least they have a big potential to do the latter. Urban areas, responsible for over 70% of global carbon emissions due to their high concentration of population and economic activities, are also central to leading game-changing climate solutions. These require robust political commitment and governance structures that prioritize a (truly) sustainable urban development.

Until recently one of the most overseen effects of climate change, heatwaves make it now to the headlines as they hit hard some European and North American regions since the last few years – although the rising temperatures have been a reality for many for decades. Indeed, this last month of July has marked the hottest two weeks on record in human history.

Recently, we were talking about the depave movement that had started in Portland almost two decades ago. Well, once you have taken out the asphalt of a piece of urban ground, you could plant a tiny forest in it. Other than really really small woods, a tiny forest refers to a dense fast-growing native woodland, based on an established forest management method developed in the 1970s by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki to help restore ecosystems.

Summer is here – one wants (and needs) a refreshing swim. I don’t know if you have ever heard of this classification: there are the sea people, and then the swimming-pool people. The firsts bath in a natural surrounding, while the second ones get a dose of chlorine if they want to swim. Right? In fact, you could also ‘go natural’ in a swimming pool. Particularly, in a sort of ecological bathing space also called a natural pool.

When I started to wear barefoot shoes a few years back, I disliked feeling the hard asphalt under my feet. In addition, my doctor beware me about how barefoot-like walking on pavement was damaging to the spine’s health. My urban itineraries have turned since into a sort of unaware jumping circuit from a grass and soil island to another – if you see me, now you know why.