Ideas for Better Cities; Born in Corona Crisis, There to Stay Beyond

The coronavirus lockdowns have led countries to rethink urban planning in order to become more self-reliant, with improved food security, sustainability and living standards – and many have already begun implementing measures that will likely last well beyond the pandemic.

In Paris, for example, mayor Anne Hidalgo is working on a “quarter-hour city” plan, to reduce traffic pollution by ensuring that most daily necessities are accessible within 15 minutes by walk, bike, or public transportation. And in Singapore, the pandemic has made food security a top priority.

“The COVID-19 crisis has focused the attention of many governments to treat food security more seriously as a national security issue,” says Paul Teng, dean of Singapore’s National Institute of Education, to the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Many cities are also planning on adding more bicycle lanes and stopping traffic in some streets so more people can walk safely – a measure that’s taken for the purpose of the lockdown, but, according to urban planners, it’s a move that’s expected to continue well into the long term.