I was initially skeptical of the 15 Minute City concept, which seemed like old wine in a new bottle. But I came to a different conclusion after digging into it. Thanks to Martin Pederson at Common Edge for publishing this piece, and to the World Economic Forum for republishing it—reaching tens of thousands of readers. An excerpt:
“Indeed, the decentralization of work is not going to kill the city, it’s going to save it. There will be a lot of creative destruction along the way, but that is how the city renews itself: from within. The cities that don’t decentralize work will struggle mightily in ways both known and unimaginable.
“As climate change causes shocks and stresses at faster intervals and increasing severity, the 15-Minute City will become even more critical. Anyone who has followed Erik Klinenberg’s work knows that resilience is rooted in place. Specifically, communities that foster and maintain social and economic relationships don’t have to be wealthy, but they do need to be walkable and safe, with both residential and commercial buildings intact. And, I would add, for 15-Minute Cities to thrive, not just survive crises—and this cannot be stressed enough—they must also have plenty of mixed-income and equitable housing, as well as digital access.”