French and Australian experts on solving the world’s sustainability challenge

Since the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, sustainable development has gradually become a key issue for public policy in many countries. Despite many global efforts - for example - to reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, most small initiatives are being taken at the local level.

Take the example of sustainable mobility in cities. The majority of urban agglomerations have been designed or redeveloped for cars. In order to limit the use of cars, various devices have been put in place, such as the introduction of urban road tolls (for example in Singapore, London and Stockholm), the removal of parking lots in inner city centres, or more recently the installation of eco stickers (road tax) for polluting vehicles in Paris.

In parallel, many French cities have seen a reduction in car use in favour of more sustainable forms of transport. As well as public transport such as trains, buses or trams, bikes and walking are alternative solutions to cars. However, depending on the urban environment, bicycling or walking is not always possible, or is dangerous.

Read the piece on The Conversation - “French and Australian experts on solving the world’s sustainability challenge.”

Greencross director in Nathalia

Bruce Esplin.

Bruce Esplin visited Nathalia on Saturday.

Bruce, one of 12 directors with “Greencross Australia,” was in Nathalia in his role as board member of Regional Arts Victoria (RAV).

He and his fellow board members were in the small northern Victorian town for the group’s annual general meeting.

The meeting was held at the town’s G.R.A.I.N. Store that was originally set as an art space in a from store in the town's main street by Nathalia’s Bill and Veronica Kelly and continues as such, but under the auspices of an independent and locally sourced board.

Green Cross Australia helps people adapt to our changing climate, in ways that foster a global values shift towards a secure and sustainable future

We are proud members of an international heritage with a distinctive history. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Mikhail Gorbachev became deeply engaged with the Rio Earth Summit.

In 1993 Gorbachev founded Green Cross International in order to create a new approach to solving the world's most pressing environmental challenges by reconnecting humanity to the environment.

Over 30 Green Cross offices around the world work towards this vision.