While Paris, Copenhagen and other cities have tried out car-free days or are planning some as a test, Oslo is going full on with a plan to get private cars out of the central downtown district by 2019 to help slash greenhouse gas emissions by 50%.
The city recently elected a new government, a coalition of Labor, Socialist Left and Green parties, and the new Council has voted for the plan, which covers an area where 90,000 people work every day, but only 1000 live. It also includes 11 of Oslo's 57 shopping center areas, which has led to some concern among retailers.
City pension plans will divest themselves of fossil fuel companies as part of the initiative, a possibly ironic move for a country whose prosperity rests heavily on its North Sea oil industry. Another part of the plan calls for more bicycle lanes, and subsidizing the purchase of electric bikes.
For more details, see TheLocal.no HERE Photo: Daniel78 / Wikimedia
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