The 15-Minute City: The history and international conspiracy theories

The 15-minute city is a concept that envisions a city where people can access all their daily needs within a 15-minute walk, bike ride, or public transit trip. It aims to reduce reliance on cars and promote sustainable, livable, and equitable urban environments. While the concept may seem simple, its implementation requires a significant shift in urban planning and policy-making. In this blog post, we will explore the history of the 15-minute city and how it has evolved into an international conspiracy.

Table of Contents

• History of “The 15-Minute City”
• Paris en 15 minutes
• Plan Melbourne
• COVID-19 pandemic and hype of 15-Minutes City
• Turning the 15-Minute City Concept into an International Conspiracy
• Conclusion

History of “The 15-Minute City”

The 15-minute city concept is not a new idea. It can be traced back to several urban planning movements that emerged in the 20th century. In the 1960s and 1970s, the New Urbanism movement in the United States promoted walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods that prioritize pedestrians over cars. In the 1980s and 1990s, the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) movement emerged, advocating for compact, mixed-use developments around public transportation nodes.

It was first introduced in the 1960s by urbanist Jane Jacobs, who argued that vibrant and sustainable cities are those that are walkable, diverse, and offer a mix of land uses. Jacobs believed that urban planning should focus on creating small, walkable neighborhoods that offer a variety of services and amenities.

In the 1990s, the concept was further developed by French politician and urban planner, Pierre Mansat. Mansat argued that cities should be organized around a network of local centers that provide essential services and amenities within a 15-minute walk or bike ride from home. Mansat’s vision was to create a more sustainable and livable city that would reduce car dependency and promote social cohesion.

Paris en 15 minutes

The concept gained momentum in the early 2000s as a result of several urban planning initiatives around the world. In 2006, the Mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë, launched the “Paris en 15 minutes” initiative, which aimed to improve access to basic services and reduce the city’s carbon footprint by promoting walking, cycling, and public transportation. The initiative included the development of pedestrian zones, bike lanes, and green spaces, as well as the expansion of the public transportation network.

Paris is often cited as an example of a successful 15-minute city. In the heart of the city, it is possible to walk or bike to almost anything one could need within 15 minutes. The city has a dense network of public transportation options, including buses, metro lines, and trains, which provide easy access to destinations outside the city center. This has made it possible for Parisians to live car-free or with minimal car usage.

To achieve the 15-minute city model, Paris has implemented a number of policies and initiatives. For example, the city has pedestrianized many streets, making them safer and more pleasant for walking and biking. It has also expanded its bike-sharing program, Velib, making it easy and affordable for residents and visitors to access bikes for short trips.

In addition, the city has prioritized the development of local amenities, such as small grocery stores and markets, to ensure that residents have easy access to fresh food and other essentials. Paris has also invested heavily in public transportation, including a new metro line that will make it possible to travel from one side of the city to the other in just 30 minutes.

Overall, the 15-minute city model has proven successful in Paris, making the city more livable, sustainable, and equitable. Other cities around the world are now looking to Paris as a model for how to create more livable urban environments, and it will be interesting to see how the concept evolves and spreads in the coming years.

Plan Melbourne

The 15-minute city concept has been embraced by other cities around the world as well. In Melbourne, Australia, the government launched the “Plan Melbourne” initiative in 2014, which aimed to create a more sustainable, livable, and accessible city by promoting compact, mixed-use developments around public transportation nodes. In 2016, the Mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, launched the “Superblocks” initiative, which aimed to create car-free zones in the city and promote pedestrian and bicycle use.

In 2014, the state government of Victoria, Australia, launched the “Plan Melbourne” initiative, which was based on the 15-minute city concept. The plan aimed to make Melbourne a more sustainable, connected, and livable city by encouraging the development of mixed-use neighborhoods, reducing car dependency, and promoting active transportation.

The initiative proposed several key strategies, including the creation of more green spaces and public places, improving public transportation, enhancing pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, and encouraging more mixed-use development.

To achieve these goals, the initiative emphasized collaboration between different stakeholders, including local governments, developers, and community groups. It also included the development of new policies and guidelines to encourage sustainable and livable urban development.

Since its launch, the Plan Melbourne initiative has achieved some significant milestones. For example, the city has increased its public transportation capacity, expanded cycling infrastructure, and created more green spaces and public places. The initiative has also encouraged more mixed-use development and promoted the revitalization of underused urban areas.

However, the initiative has also faced some challenges and criticisms, particularly around issues related to affordability, social equity, and community participation. Some critics argue that the focus on promoting dense urban development and reducing car dependency may lead to increased housing costs and displacement of low-income residents.

Overall, the Plan Melbourne initiative provides a valuable example of how urban planning can promote sustainable and livable cities by encouraging active transportation, mixed-use development, and community collaboration. However, it also highlights the importance of addressing issues related to affordability, equity, and community participation to ensure that these initiatives benefit all residents.

COVID-19 pandemic and hype of 15-Minutes City

The 15-minute city gained renewed attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, as lockdowns and social distancing measures highlighted the importance of walkable, accessible neighborhoods.

The pandemic has led to widespread illness and death, overwhelmed healthcare systems, and caused massive economic disruption. The pandemic has also highlighted the importance of public health and the need for resilient and sustainable urban planning.

One concept that has gained popularity in the wake of the pandemic is the idea of the 15-minute city. The 15-minute city is a vision for a more sustainable and livable urban environment where everything people need is within a 15-minute walk or bike ride from their home. This includes access to basic services such as grocery stores, healthcare facilities, schools, and workplaces, as well as green spaces and cultural amenities.

The 15-minute city concept is not new, but it has gained renewed attention during the pandemic as people have sought to avoid crowded public transportation and spend more time in their local neighborhoods. The pandemic has also highlighted existing inequalities in access to services and amenities, with low-income communities and communities of color often having less access to basic necessities.

The 15-minute city concept has been championed by urban planners and policymakers as a way to create more sustainable and equitable cities. By reducing the need for car travel and promoting active transportation such as walking and biking, the 15-minute city can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality. It can also promote public health by encouraging physical activity and reducing exposure to air pollution.

However, the implementation of the 15-minute city concept is not without challenges. In many cities, existing infrastructure and land use patterns may not support this type of development. In addition, creating more equitable access to services and amenities may require significant investment in underserved communities.

Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for more resilient and sustainable urban planning, and the 15-minute city concept offers one potential path forward. However, its success will depend on the willingness of policymakers and communities to invest in creating more livable and equitable urban environments.

In 2020, the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, announced plans to expand the city’s pedestrian and bike infrastructure and create more car-free zones, with the goal of making Paris a 15-minute city by 2030. Other cities, including Milan, Brussels, and Montreal, have also announced plans to adopt the 15-minute city concept.

Turning the 15-Minute City Concept into an International Conspiracy

In recent years, the 15-minute city concept has also been the subject of conspiracy theories and disinformation campaigns. Some conspiracy theorists claim that the 15-minute city is part of a globalist agenda to create a “new world order” and control the population.

According to these theorists, the implementation of the 15-minute city concept will require a significant shift in urban planning and policy-making, which will ultimately lead to the centralization of power and the loss of individual freedoms.

The conspiracy theorists also claim that the 15-minute city concept is part of a broader plan to promote globalism and undermine national sovereignty. They argue that the implementation of the 15-minute city concept will require cooperation and coordination between cities and nations, which will ultimately lead to the creation of a global government.

These claims have been debunked by urban planning experts, who emphasize that the 15-minute city is a locally-driven initiative that aims to improve the quality of life for urban residents.

The reality, however, is that the 15-minute city concept is not part of any international conspiracy. Rather, it is a response to the growing need for sustainable and livable urban environments.

Conclusion

The 15-minute city concept is a response to the growing need for sustainable and livable urban environments. It has a long history that dates back to the 1960s, and it has evolved over time to become a comprehensive approach to urban planning and policy-making. While the concept has gained significant traction in recent years, it has also become the subject of an international conspiracy.

However, the reality is that the 15-minute city concept is not part of any international conspiracy. Rather, it is a response to the growing need for sustainable and livable urban environments. The implementation of the 15-minute city concept requires collaboration and coordination between cities and nations, but this does not mean that it is part of a larger plan to promote globalism or undermine national sovereignty.