Topic: Sustainability Issues and Challenges for Spatial Planning in 21st Century Cities and Regions. The 8th International Symposium (UPE 8) of the International Urban Planning and Environment Association aims to be a forum for discussing urban and environmental issues.

The mayor of a global metropolis, elected to his first term in 2001, set out to reduce driving and promote greener modes of transportation in his city. Congestion pricing turned out to be unfeasible, because influential political forces in the suburbs believed, rightly or wrongly, that charging people to drive into the urban core was regressive. Undaunted, the mayor found other means to achieve his transportation agenda.

The Council for European Urbanism will hold its third international congress in Oslo, Norway from the 14 th to 16th September 2008. The congress will discuss the rapidly-evolving topic of "Climate Change and Urban Design". What is the latest science telling us? What are the consequences for urban development internationally? What are the practical solutions available to reduce climate gas emissions from urban settlements and transportation? What strategies are available to adapt to changing conditions? The congress will welcome government officials, planners, architects, social scientists, ecologists, developers, local community activists, and all other development stakeholders who feel a responsibility to contribute to more sustainable urban development.

The Swedish city of Växjö has been making strides toward its goal, stated in 1996, of weaning itself from fossil fuels. Itself an example of environmental innovation and dedication, Växjö is also one of a growing number of European cities making local responses to climate change rather than waiting for national or international action.

At the Local Renewables 2007 event in Freiburg, Germany in June, city and business leaders from 34 countries called for renewable energy to be the basis of a decentralized and secure energy supply. They also agreed that measures to curb the dramatic impact of climate change must be carried out immediately, and that the local government level plays a crucial role in this.

Timothy Beatley explains what planners and local officials in the United States can learn from the sustainable cities movement in Europe. The book draws from the extensive European experience, examining the progress and policies of twenty-five of the most innovative cities in eleven European countries. Beatley focuses on the key lessons from these cities and what their experience can teach us about effectively and creatively promoting sustainable development in the United States.