Transcripts For DW Gejagt 20240711

Prompting the government to take action. Public schools in new york city will close on thursday in an effort to contain soaring numbers of new coronavirus infections. The citys mayor bill de blasio said there would be a halt to in 1st and learning in schools. I do what he calls an abundance of caution. Us Authorities Say boeings, a 737 max airliner will be allowed to fly again. If planes are fitted with new software and pilots are given special training. The jet was grounded after 2 crashes that killed nearly 350 people. Both accidents were caused by faults with the Flight Control system. The 20 month a grounding is the longest in commercial aviation history. This is g. W. News from berlin. Follow us on twitter and instagram ats to w. News or visit our website did a view dot com. Today german lawmakers passed legislation that gives the government more Legal Backing for decisions a bit protecting Public Health in the pandemic. This includes social distancing, rules, facemask requirements, and closing stores. The government enjoys broad support for these coronavirus policies, but there are loud opponents making outrageous claims and saying politicians are using Public Health to disguise the erosion of personal freedoms. Similar they say to hell, the nazi party used the power of parliament to dismantle democracy. Im burnt off in berlin. This is the day to be allowed to oppose the measures even to deny the obvious told us it is and must be possible in a free and open country to fight for the fate. This is about that. Anyone who doesnt understand that, im sorry, must have restrictions on fundamental rights are being passed just because your love doesnt make you right. And it certainly doesnt mean you are in the majority. Also coming up at mass coronavirus testing in liverpool, england. The British Government hopes that it will help stem the virus, but there are warnings. It may have lead to the public, letting down their gore. We need to explain to the public that this is not a possible to misbehave. This part of the jackson hole of white a Public Protection protesters pushed back by police with water cannon steer the Brandenburg Gate here in berlin. People violating the laws and social distancing en masse swearing, accusing police and politicians of using the Coronavirus Crisis to deny them. Of their civil rights, which you our viewers on p. B. S. In the United States and to all of our viewers around the world. Welcome. But we begin the day with a clear and controversial message about the current pandemic and the ones yet to come. Today both houses of the German Parliament passed legislation designed to remove a legal gray area concerning the governments power to protect Public Health. A strong legal underpinning for decisions such as requiring facemasks in public were shutting down businesses. And the legislation was debated today and moved through parliament quickly. The reason lawmakers say the government still has work to do before the current pandemic ends. And they say future governments will need the same Legal Backing if and when another pandemic happens. Here is what the German Health minister yen spahn said today about the legislation. Protection of health is not absolute. But we have decided that Health Protection will have a relatively greater weight in this pandemic. Since we have decided by a large majority in society until youre in parliament that we do not want to accept an overstraining our Health System that we can as absolutely avoid suffering through illness, intensive care being on a ventilator and death with us. We want to reduce the suffering to the best of our abilities. Its one of the more tonight im joined now by andrew goldman. He is a member of the German Parliament for the business friendly f. T. P. Party. He also happens to be a medical doctor by training dr. Allman, its good to have you on the day again, why was this legislation needed decisions by the government, restricting personal freedoms, closing stores, etc . Are they on the verge of being unconstitutional . I wouldnt go that far yet. We need at this debate in the parliament, it was overdue. And this help democracy works in germany. We have legislation power and also the extent of power and we control each other. And thats why it was important that we had the debate. Didnt happen for a very long time in our parliament. And honestly, i do not really see so for the personal freedom is eroded, the major problem is the acceptance of the rulings. And so far, these rulings were done without, without palminteri and power and that was necessary today, even though i do not agree with all the laws that were passed today, the legislation that was passed addresses the current situation, the current pandemic. Do you think that it will make it easier for future governments to react when and if another pandemic occurs . I dont think so because there was this law passed very quickly. This was important. It was passed very quickly. However, we from the opposition. A lot of critics on the law and the free democrats also brought in a new motion with a different law that was more thorough. Only written, clear cut, actually looking at the different stages of a pandemic and how to react to the make. Because the, the situation that were facing here so far is that there is a majority of course accepting those rules. But a lot of those rulings are not very logical and doesnt really make sense. And this has to be debated again and again, of course, im not quite sure if this is going to stand by the constitutional a courts here in germany. So youre saying the legislation passed today may not stand up in its challenge before the Constitutional Court if that theres a possibility that down could happen is nothing thats quite an unconstitutional. But theres a lot of lacking points in the law because the, the government needs to explain their ruling and also has to bring this into the parliament. And so far its just passed a bill and said these are the, the rules that were going to do period. And that is not good enough. And then we have to be more precise in those laws. Could you tell me what is the one thing about this legislation that needs to be changed . What would you change . Well, 1st of all i would, i would really change what has to be done in a different situation. Dependent. He starts off, or you have to prevent an infection, and these are, of course, those rules that we know about this physical distancing wearing mask in the public, especially in Public Transportation or in buildings, buildings. Then the next step is when the endemic is quickly rising. This number of infections are increasingly very strongly then stronger measures have to be made. And this is, that is whats missing in this legislation that the connection between what is happening and what has to be done is not there just says if theres a pandemic situation, these are the things that we have to do. And that is not clear cut enough before we run out of time, dr. Allman, let me get your reaction to the news that pfizer and by on tech have successfully ended the late stage trials for their corona virus vaccine. I mean, thats wonderful news, isnt it . Oh, this is really wonderful news today, the press release by be on tech and pfizer is very promising. I was still skeptical a week ago when we werent so sure if the effect of that vaccine goes through all h. Groups. This was in the press release today that it goes through the age groups, the effectiveness of the vaccine of 95 percent. Now im awaiting the primary publication of that data. And secondly, i do hope its not only put into the f. D. A. Filing. Its also put in the enough filing here for europe, so that we might have a new vaccine by march of next year. Yeah, im going to ask you about that. Pfizer says that it plans to ask the f. D. A. In the u. S. For emergency approval. As soon as this week, when do you expect the request for approval here in europe . When is that request going to come . Well, i hope as soon as possible, of course, because we are in a similar situation as in north america. And the company here in germany cooperation with pfizer in the us. And i do hope i asked the company today. I didnt get any information about from them so far if theyre going to file student here in europe, because the filing situation is pretty much similar between the u. S. And in europe. Ok, dr. Andrew allman member of the German Parliament. Dr. Almost, we appreciate your time and your insights tonight. Thank you. Thank you for having me again. Well, in the us, the food and Drug Administration has given merges the approval to the 1st rapid coronavirus tests that can be done at home after a simple nasal swab. The result, positive or negative, appears in about 30 minutes. This test does require a doctors prescription, but it bypasses the lengthy process of waiting for results from a lab. But this is good news against a global backdrop of restrictions and lockdowns. Here in europe, there is a patchwork of National Responses to the corona virus. Now this map shows all of the countries that have imposed a partial or total nationwide lockdown as it stands tonight, there are 70 countries with a go from austria, which began a total lockdown on tuesday. Youve got germany, which is in the middle of a 4 week partial lockdown stores, schools are open, restaurants, bars and gyms are closed. The World Health Organization says that more than half of new infections reported worldwide last week came from europe. And the situation is worse in the United States. What we see here are the states that have issued a stay at home order, similar to european lockdowns. And as you see here, new mexico is the only state that does that. Theyre supposed to be color coded and you, mexico is the only state that is telling people that they have to stay home. Other states are advising that they do that, which is california. You see there kentucky and then in the northeast we have the states of massachusetts and rhode island, where the days best news in the pandemic is a transatlantic story. The u. S. Pharmaceutical giant pfizer and germanys buy on tech have announced that they are corona virus vaccine has passed all safety tests and trials. Biotechs c. E. O. Says regulators in europe and the u. S. Could approve the vaccine as early as december safety. And that its so far in the case that they feel is there a total of 8, that could happen that we get an auto because they should until mid of these tend to have to provide 1st millions of those as an experienced to the region. Get an approval on all right for more now on the latest in the coded vaccine raise, im joined by amish dogs and hes a senior scholar and Johns Hopkins center for public, for health security. Its good to have you on the program. The pfizer biotech vaccine, it has taken just 10 months to develop, which is a remarkably short time. How can we be sure that its safe . We can be sure that it is safe because weve seen in animal data, weve seen phase one in face 2, and now face 3 days, you have to remember that speed, its just exene was made, had to do with the fact that it was using a new technology an m. R. I. , any vaccine platform, and thats where we cut this feet out and wasnt that the safety was at there were corners cut in phase one or 2 trials. We will have to follow people once they are vaccinated. 3 years, like we do with all the axioms. But in the middle of a pandemic, were going to get an emergency use authorization based on the safety data that we have so far. And it does look good and you think we have to continue to follow, as i said, to make sure nothing late longer term occurs. But i do think everything is it is pointing the right way when it comes to this vaccine amiss. Are you concerned that there are no long term observations with this vaccine . Im not concerned in the sense that any time we have a vaccine it gets approved and then we follow people out in what are called phase for trials. So when the h. P. V. Vaccine was that was approved, we didnt have 2 or 3 or 4 years of safety data, but we followed people even after it was approved. And it ended up being say, i dont have a major concern most the vaccines that make it this far dont usually have long term consequences. I think its important to study that. But to me, i dont think theres going to be a signal yet. I think that in the middle of a pandemic, you also have to weigh the risk in the benefit. And i do think that the vaccines, the way were seeing them now, are really, its the benefits outweigh any risk that, that we have with not having a long term data. Do you plan to get the vaccine . I do plan to get the vaccine. As soon as im in an eligible group, i am a Health Care Worker and take care of covert patients now. So i may be in the 1st priority group, so i will gladly get this vaccine. We know pfizer in biotech say the vaccine is 95 percent effective and i know that they were static about that number. 95 percent. Why is that number so impressive . The number so impressive because we never thought that a 1st generation vaccine using a new technology would reach those types of that level of protection from symptomatic over. We were looking at 5060 percent. Thats what we would have been happy with. But this even really hit it out of the ballpark. 90 percent really made people take a step back and understand that this technology does have a lot of promise, not just for cove it, but for future Infectious Disease vaccines as well. We know that vaccine denial is likely to be an issue of blood signs of the atlantic. There will definitely be some safety concerns among the public. How many people will need to be vaccinated to ensure herd immunity and to stop this pandemic . Its likely going to be maybe 7080 percent of the population. If you assume that everybody has the same risk of, of transmitting the infection. It may also the fact that were not 1st looking at herd immunity or were looking to try and decrease the virulence of this infection to be able to stop people from needing to be hospitalized. So we may be able to give our hospitals breathing room before we get near that herd immunity threshold. So its important to remember that this vaccine because it is so effective, is likely to really be able to take the pressure off of hospitals and take the pressure off i. C. U. Beds and ventilators. And thats really whats driving a lot of the Public Health concern about this virus thats whats lacking. The curve is about is about keeping it below hospital capacity. How do you think governments and Public Health officials should deal with this vaccine skepticism that we, that we see we have to really be as transparent as possible about the process that led to the development of these vaccines. What the Clinical Trials show in terms of both the safety and the efficacy, try to be able to answer any question that may come up. Tell people what we know, what we dont know and really detail them on all of the benefits that this vaccine may provide. And help them make this risk benefit calculation. We have to be proactive. We cannot be reactive because the anti vaccine groups will already be going after this vaccine prior to its prior to its arrival. You know, in, from expecting to level 2, expecting too much from these vaccines are what you take a listen to what mark ryan said today hes with the World Health Organization. Take a listen through some people think the vaccine will be in a sense the solution, the unicorn, weve all been chasing. Its not having vaccines, its going to give us a huge chance. But if we add vaccines and forget the other, things does not go to 0 a measure. Are you concerned that once the 1st vaccine injection is given . Are you concerned that will see people do drop social distancing, stop wearing face masks, and let down their guard. Were already seeing people let down their guard, and i do think that there is that danger. You have to remember that the vaccine isnt going to be a magic bullet unless its coupled with a lot of other things in till we get across a herd immunity threshold. And its going to take a process of years to get the world vaccinated. So koven 1000. 00 is not going to go right to a sleazy roque. We will still need to think about what measures we need to do to keep ourselves safe, especially for those who arent able to get the vaccine or who are the vaccine doesnt work for a number, not everybodys going to be in a priority. So this is going to be important that we have to get through this process by a lot, by using a lot of common sense things youve been doing from the beginning, wearing a mask social distancing washing your hands a lot. All of thats going to continue for some time, even when the vaccine is available. Let me ask you, before we run out of time, did the German Health minister says they could get vaccines will not be compulsory. Do you think thats an sensible policy . Its going to be hard to make a vaccine compulsory when its only if im a available on an emergency use basis. I think once you see full license york and a much more robust safety profile, then i think you can see, youll see schools, for example, or employers making these vaccines a requirement as a condition of entry. But i think in the early rollout of this vaccine, its likely going to be just something is highly encouraged, but not something that we will. You have a basis for mandy, because of the, because of the lack of all of the long term safety data, which we wont have for a couple of years. And which will then will lead to the full licensure of the x. E. Amission gone to the Johns Hopkins center for security missions. Good to have you on the show. We appreciate your time in your valuable insights tonight. Thank you. Thank you. Well, a city that has tested all of its residents that describes the northwest english city of liverpool. It has become the 1st city in the u. K. To carry out mass testing of the entire population around 100000 people have been screened for the virus in just the past 2 weeks. It is hoped that blanket testing will help to stop transmission of the virus, especially by carriers with no symptoms. Charlotte cells until report this is being billed as the u. K. s laces weapon in the fight against cave at 19, with the city of liverpool on the frontline. That piloting a citywide testing scheme, the 1st of its kind in the u. K. And a massive p. R. Campaigns underway to enlist the hoffa 1000000 People Living in liverpool, the move people get tested, the better we can protect that great city and drive down that start the fight back against code, lets get tested. Lets do it together. Thats to it. For liverpool, local authorities have set up dozens of testing sites across the city, and theyve brought in the army to help villagers. 6 considerations of this operation have been significant. We deployed 2000 troops, the city of liverpool within 3 days, across 45. 00 sites. Liverpool volunteered to try the mass testing operation after, according one of the highest rates in europe with or it is hoped that by testing as much of the population as possible that identify more asymptomatic cases and break the chains of transmission. The scheme is tested over 100000 people since it started a week and a half ago. But theres still a long way to go ahead of time where its going is a good idea that ive had mine done on both me and my husband were negative. I think to get the hope population tested to be able to identify who started, particularly those who have it in them to any symptoms. And thats really last i hope it will actually takes off processing tests quickly is the key to a scheme like this asymptomatic volunteers myself included, are asked to do the swap themselves. You get the results on your phone within an hour. These are the lateral flow devices that are being used at testing 5 like this one across liverpool. Now a lot like a pregnancy test, they can determine results in 20 to 30 minutes. And the benefit is the result can be processed right here at the testing site instead than a lab. And thats why these tests at the back of the pools math test. And theres some dispute about how many positive cases are being missed. Critics also fear that getting a negative test could give people a false sense of security that results only valid until the moment you leave the building. And once again, at risk of being exposed to local councillor pulled, brown says this scheme was never designed to be a silver bullet. We need to explain to the public. This is not a passport to misbehave. This is part of the jigsaw of wider Public Protection. It will be difficult to tell what direct effects the scheme house on cutting infections. Its happening while england is in lockdown. The pool bryant says every asymptomatic case thats identified is a step in the right direction. As weve identified through that program, 527 people who we now know were positive, who had no symptoms, and were not previously have known that they were symptomatic and infectious. And theyve now can take steps to take himself out of circulation and protect themselves and their family and their friends. Originally planned to last 2 weeks, this pilots likely to be extended with increasing Public Engagement top of their priority list. But its a blueprint for the u. K. s testing strategy. And the governments already announced more mass testing schemes, in dozens of locations across the country where thousands of people took to the streets of polands capitol bourse all today to show their opposition to a Supreme Court ruling that almost totally bans abortions. Police forced protesters away from the parliament building, which the protesters wanted to do what the courts ruling bans abortions for your reversible congenital defects, including those for fatal illness. Todays demonstration was the latest in a series of protests following last octobers court ruling. A polish women decide to have an abortion will now be forced to travel abroad in even greater numbers than before. One destination is neighboring germany, where the abortion laws are more liberal barrett and has worked for the Initiative Time to barbara or at barbara for 5 years. She helps polish women have abortions in berlin, her phone and her constant companion, a woman who had an abortion here 2 weeks ago is calling her right now. Is going to probably will. She has some problems and would like to go to the doctor, the vice. But of course she doesnt know which doctor she should go to. Our question can or cannot say, or how she should act. Is this a doctor she can trust or not . Its estimated that up 2150000 polish women have abortions each year illegally in foreign clinics and very carefully. Thats why ocean american wants to help. She has been receiving more than twice as many calls since polands abortion law became more restrictive. The woman she is meeting now is pregnant, but her baby is severely deformed. Is about the time that she was completely stressed out. She cried for 2 days because she didnt want to bear a sick child. And she was suddenly forced to get the words to avoid having the baby. The woman traveled hundreds of kilometers to berlin to protect her identity. We turned the camera. Polands abortion law is the strictest in europe. A gynecologist who regularly performs abortions for women from poland tells us about her experiences on and on. And we generally see women of all ages. We see teenagers who became pregnant through rape or through a moment of thoughtless behavior. Very, very young women between the ages of 14 and 17, but we also see women who are well into their fortys and we meet again in the evening. The woman who she picked up from the train station is just seeing the doctor. The ultrasound clearly showed that the baby had no chance of survival. The abortion is scheduled for the next 10 media gazans are best at is diagnosed cs have been confirmed. It doesnt look good. That arent up there. Just asked, why is it that the polish doctors havent already carried out the terminations missed something. They mocked abortion, even under these circumstances, is illegal in poland. Thats why polish women look for help abroad and find it. And berlin with a better team, and the time to baba initiative of the day is almost on the conversation continues online. Well see you tomorrow, but theyre constantly growing. Living costs are rising, theyre becoming more densely. And now cities are pulsing to the beat of theyve become breeding grounds for the virus or is it the end of the beginning cd player in the flux made in germany. And the extra long term conflicts from the culture muslims in a special edition of comfort zone. The crisis in hong kong, over the last move into several probate, june prodemocracy figures. We chose to move to justify what theyve done and said some of their arguments to me said to stand the test of time conflicts in 60 minutes, t. W. Germany, which any time any place the news media never have at the back of the car. Songs to sing along to come down to this to come from soup when seats to be subdued and very close is put into active exercises. Are you talking about it . D, w . Dont come slash dont plan on facebook in the app store. Jamming for free. Devaney just when things were looking up, everything shot down again. The 1st lockdown was a nice chance to take a bit of a break for us lucky ones. And if you managed to remain untouched by the bars, fix a few things around the house. Read lots of books, learn to bake bread, but it did drag on and now partly because some people let that god down a little, a lot of us a back and knocked out. The thrill of life in the big city is dwindling. In fact, that life in general is changing in a big way. Its coated 19, redefining cities as we know them. Well, besides getting people to accept that mosques, good hygiene and social distancing do actually help in preventing the spread of diseases like code. It is just one thing id like to ask my workmates, friends, family and everyone else out there. Lets make this work. This is a once in a lifetime chance to change our working world for the better. Lots of us probably never thought we could do our jobs from home. What a great opportunity to free up more time instead of commuting, be more creative and productive. It can take a lot of discipline, though not to get into lazy habits. This is a totally new way of working, and theres also a lot more that could change. Besides for those ive ever returned to normal cities teeming with traffic, people moving freely with no fear of covert 19. How will this pandemic shape the future of our cities . Since the corona Virus Outbreak up to 40 percent of people have been working remotely, its an opportunity for us to rethink, you know, how we live our lives. What does that mean for our current commute . What does that mean for the nature of the office space . Because if people are going back to the office part of the time that means other coworkers are not in the office when you are in the office, its not just the world of work thats changed. Transport habits have to do worry a lot that the mobility of the curse is likely to come in by single occupant vehicle. But in fact, people are anxious about being in Public Transportation and that will make Traffic Congestion actually worse, not better. The increase in automation far predates the pandemic, but some researchers say the pace of change is picking up speed. Weve seen the rise in the use of drones, as well as, you know, facial recognition. Technology for Monitoring Surveillance of the pandemic has certainly celebrated the use, i think those technologies were moving pretty quickly already. So i think its pretty hard to know how whether or not its actually going to get faster or, or not. I think the technologies that really do interest me a lot are the self driving car technologies because those actually shape urban form. And i think unquestionably theres a desire for things that dont involve human interaction. But what about the people who dont have access to all this technology on 3 at risk of widening the Digital Divide . By worrying that this series of covert inspired digitalisation remote work will be even more of a source of global inequity. And will be even more of a dividing line between those people who are skilled enough to dial into the technological world. And those people who are left behind and thats not all as Remote Working develops jobs are increasingly likely to get outsourced. That technological connection across the globe is going to increase as a result of this. So its going to be even more natural to turn to india for software support, even more natural to outsource various things to southeast asia. So the Technology Revolution is going to continue while work has, might be scattered all over the world, commutes a set to get shorter. That could lead cities to have a smaller radius. In other words, opened, well is, will be able to get everywhere they need within 15 minutes on 1st or by bike to work the shops or the doctor. And that could affect the design of in the cities. We saw that in this pandemic, we are in fight all the time. But imagine if there were many private or private outdoor spaces which are integrated into our houses that would improve, improve our quality of life quite considerably. What weve noticed, sensis pandemic is the importance of outdoor space or access to outer space. And so its thinking of Building Design in might include, you know, a difference in lobby design or the way he says, our access so that people can go up and down without having to use an elevator. But will people also leave thinks that hes as a result of the pandemic . I think that hes will definitely remain very much as likely moving places. So few men that he and big cities will definitely stay as specially in asia. This will better this trend will go on, but the c. D. s will change in the sense that they give access to their citizens to their users, to many Different Things like green, like access to work, access to technology, health, etc, on a much more local scale, poor world mega cities are likely to continue to grow, at least, unless things become really absolute horrific. I mean, remember that as terrible as cold 1000. 00 is the death rate so far, far less than they were say during the color of pandemics of the 1900 century. And despite those color appendix that cities like, you know, berlin or paris or london continue to grow even though the cities were killing fields. So big cities on to subpoenaing anytime soon. Its kind of a 19 is already leaving its mark on it have been that scapes. Some cities like the feel like theyve turned into ghost towns, and its pretty much the same feeling for the commercial real estate sector. Business is disappearing. The amount of floor space for shops and offices that have been rented or sold is in freefall. When you compare the 3rd quarter with the same period last year, youll see the trend is the same across germanys main st. Its. A lot of companies are either putting off decisions to rent or buy space. All that downsizing focuses, see the trend gathering speed, construction continues. Were closing down. Everything must go. Signs like these are a common sight nowadays, and businesses are shuttered across the city. Many for good because of coronavirus restrictions according to a survey by britains Royal Institute of chartered surveyors, industry insiders expect commercial Property Values and rents to the crime worldwide because of the pandemic. But there are some exceptions. Yes, you know, we have the entire nonfood Retail Sector has been hit hard, but local delivery firms. A booming as are companies and transport goods, people or general more and more online Logistics Companies are. What prices for commercial property may be sinking, and commercial rents to get construction is booming in berlin and other cities across germany. Large scale projects, even entire districts, are being built. How can that be the complex going up in and around the ruins of this former Department Store in berlin will include shops, offices, arts, bennys restaurants and apartments. But they come at a price, a 1000000. 00 euros, or more for 100. 00 square metres. Thats not untypical the high end of downtown apartments. Because of the pandemic, the developers have yet to Start Marketing the commercial spaces. But the apartments are selling like hotcakes. We were a little concerned about the impact of the pandemic on the market, but we found that its made no real difference except for a minor during carnival. In fact, were seeing a heightened interest in buying property low Interest Rates worldwide. I mean, investing in bonds is a losing game. Vast amounts of money have been pouring into real estate. But how long are things like you to stay that way . I asked the head of a company that markets condominiums. This phase of constantly rising prices is drawing to a close. Thats entirely normal. It can go on forever. In certain segments of the market. We are indeed already seen that, especially in berlin. There are huge office blocks with vast amounts of space in cities across the globe. But millions of people are now working from home because of the pandemic. Will Office Buildings like this one in berlin ever fill up again. I asked a board member of the Public Housing company, which also manages commercial property americanness. Im not sold on foreign fish to be more requests to defer rental payments. And when it comes to new leases on commercial premises, potential tenants are asking for pandemic clues is in their contracts. That means its a right to terminate if another pandemic hits in fall. But overall, the market has held up better than we expected earlier in the crisis. Apartments where people can also work continue to be in demand. But what will happen to all the empty shops and restaurants and Access Office spaces. It will be quite a challenge to find future uses for these empty premises. Well, cities have been on an explosive growth trajectory over the past centuries. But take a good look at the result. In so many cases, ugly, crowded, full of concrete void of green traffic gridlock, bad air hotter temperatures, the sun bouncing off all that cement. Have cities had a day or could they be doing their bit to fight Climate Change . I think they could be the city obsolete or the solution to Climate Change. Could jericho is the oldest, continuously inhabited city in the world. It was a stablished 11000 years ago. The citys location near a river and its mild climate made it attractive because it meant the land could be farmed all year round. But many cities developed around trade routes, often by rivers. The german city of front foot is an example. Others like tokyo grew around palaces now home to 38000000 people. Its the biggest urban area in the world. Big cities are often associated with air and noise pollution, as well as rising rents. Despite that citys continue to draw more and more people. Advantages include access to medical care, jobs and educational institutions. Half of the worlds population currently resides in cities. By 2050, its expected to be 2 thirds. But cities account for 80 percent of worldwide c o 2 emissions. Something has to change in the austrian capital. Vienna City Planners have decided not to build Parking Spaces in a new area of town. They want to discourage car use, with new housing constantly being built. Theres no shortage of accommodation. The average rent at 5 euros per metre squared is pretty low. More green spaces are cropping up, and public transport is constantly being expanded too. It costs just one euro to use the citys Transit System for a day. Thats led to record numbers of passengers. Vienna has been ranked the most livable city in the world. But during the pandemic, the number of passengers on public transport fell by 50 percent. As people returned to their cars. Something City Planners couldnt have foreseen. Ive heard about a lot of people designing big incentives for the suburbs all for the serenity of the countryside. I dont know if i could give up. Actually a mate of mine is thinking about doing just that. And so are other coronavirus pandemic is causing city life to lose its appeal. But when, for example, has a population density of over 4000. 00 people per square kilometer. Its hard to do anything without a mosque. Julian and lots of have lived in the german capital for nearly 30 years in the popular cool expect district. But they flew in and out of love with the place as if you find it strenuous. And now i realize that i always found it strenuous, but never noticed. Theres aggression in the air. If youre out on your bike, for example, you constantly have these little disputes with people. Notice it more now. Really what ive wanted to move away for a long time, but i was always too busy in the city and the countryside seems so far away. For this pandemic has made it clear to us where we stand and where we live. We need the kind of apartment we have, the kind of neighborhood we live in. Its all been amplified now. And that sense of being hemmed in by a city life has driven us out into the countryside to find freedom. Little un us has long enjoyed freedom. His family moved to a village outside, but 3 years ago rents in the city have soared over the past 10 years. Many young families to me, the way to places where housing is more affordable