Art, urban nature and green spaces

Posted on: 4 November 2014
By: mackene
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A number of contributors to this blog consider how art (in all its forms), exhibits, installations and provocations can be a better catalyst to raise awareness, support and momentum for urban nature and green spaces.

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Getting to grips with FRS102 and the new housing SORP: how should housing associations prepare?

Posted on: 4 November 2014
By: mackene
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This short video, the first in a series, explores the implications of the new Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) for housing associations. We consider what some of the changes are, when they will affect you, and what action you need to be taking now to prepare. The introduction of the new SORP will represent a fundamental change in accounting from the previous SORP.  There are significant resource implications for registered providers in terms of the time input required to assess the impact of this change.

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Responsible business conduct in the land, construction, and real estate sector: A best practice toolkit

Posted on: 4 November 2014
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The consultation on the draft Toolkit, a joint initiative between the Global Compact and RICS to improve responsible business practices in the land, construction, and real estate industry, will run until 16 March 2015 and is open to all sector stakeholders. The Toolkit project’s key objectives are: to identify opportunities and challenges for the sector relating to the UN Global Compact’s issue areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption, as well as broader UN goals; to engage UN Global Compact participants from the sector, as well as real estate users and stakeholders, to capture existing best practices and scale up sustainability initiatives; and to help companies in the sector and its downstream users across the property lifecycle to tackle sustainability issues and harness significant opportunities of a best practice Toolkit built on the Global Compact’s Ten Principles.  The final Toolkit will be launched at the end of June 2015.

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International Property Measurement Standards Coalition

Posted on: 4 November 2014
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The International Property Measurement Standards Coalition (IPMSC). The coalition, formed in May 2013, is an international group of professional and not-for-profit organizations working together to develop and embed a single property measurement standard.

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New modes of learning and teaching in universities

Posted on: 4 November 2014
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The European Commission’s High-Level Group on the modernisation of higher education has published a report which presents a number of recommendations for the improvement of teaching technologies and practices and stresses the need for government authorities to stimulate and foster educational change rather than the present practice of delegating responsibility to grassroots initiatives alone. They call on all member states to draw up strategies to support universities in this major change in focus as well as stressing the need for coordinated teacher development and support. In addition they stress the need for quality assurance in online learning and the open availability of educational resources.

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Urban planning blogs

Posted on: 4 November 2014
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A listing of urban planning blogs.

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In Focus: Athens, Greece

Posted on: 4 November 2014
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This article summarises the recent tourism trends in Athens.

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World Disasters Report 2014: focus on culture and risk

Posted on: 4 November 2014
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This year’s World Disasters Report focuses on culture and risk. It explores the different ways in which culture affects disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation and how disasters and risk influence culture. It examines why people choose to live in hazard-prone locations, and how culture and beliefs enable them to live with the risks they face. The report looks at the organizational culture of agencies working in the fields of disaster risk reduction and adaptation, and challenges the widespread faith in community-based activities. It also considers culture in relation to housing and reconstruction, and healthcare and medicine. Finally, the document indicates starting points for organizations to better align their actions with the way people think and act.

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Our Planet: Climate for life 

Posted on: 4 November 2014
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The interaction between biodiversity, climate change and protected areas are the focus of this issue of Our Planet. Protected areas are important carbon storage facilities, so their maintenance and expansion is a key contributor to mitigating climate change. Protected areas also supply many essentials required to sustain humankind. By protecting biodiversity, we also protect ourselves. In addition to featuring thought-provoking articles from 11 eminent contributors, the issue also highlights work UNEP is undertaking related to climate change mitigation.

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London’s housing crisis: green belt building may be best solution

Posted on: 4 November 2014
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A new study by the Centre for Cities group claim the capital’s housing situation could be helped by building on green belt land, and brownfield sites. The group claim that if every brownfield site was developed to it’s full capacity, nearly 400,000 homes could be built and developing just over 2 per cent of green belt land could provide a further 430,000 houses. Ben Harrison, from Centre for Cities and Paul Miner from the Campaign to Protect Rural England, who oppose building on the green belt, debate the issue.

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