Emission Reductions

A sign reads “Sorry No Gas Today”.

Oregon to End Sales of Gas-Powered Vehicles by 2035

There must be something about having a coast on the Pacific Ocean that makes states set policies to accelerate the end of the internal combustion engine.

December 23, 2022 - The Oregonian

A humanitarian facility, with rows of tents, is set up in a dusty field in Pakistan.

COP27 Climate Negotiations Produce a Mixed Bag

Negotiators at this year’s COP27 climate change meetings can claim progress on some tricky issues, but stagnation reigns on the fundamental issue of emission reductions.

November 23, 2022 - United Nations Climate Change

Palm Springs

New Scoping Plan Sets Carbon Neutrality Goal for California

California has long led the nation in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A law approved in 2006 still provides direction for the state’s efforts.

November 21, 2022 - Los Angeles Times

Copenhagen Bikes

The Inflation Reduction Act's 'Inadequate' Reliance on Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicles can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but not enough to prevent the worst of climate change and not as much as walkable cities with far fewer cars on the road.

September 20, 2022 - Urban Institute

A conceptual rendering of a cable-stayed bicycle and pedestrian bridge over the Sheboygan River in Sheboygan, Wisconsin

How Locals Are Planning to Spend $2.2 Billion in RAISE Transportation Grants, Part Two

Part two of a series of post providing specific information for 164 of the 166 projects recently awarded funding by the U.S. Department of Transportation's RAISE grant funding program.

August 29, 2022 - James Brasuell

New York transportation carbon footprint map

CoolClimate Policy Tools

The CoolClimate Network's Interactive Policy Tools calculate and compare the GHG reductions provided by various emission reduction policies. These tools can help households, businesses and communities identify the best emission reduction strategies.

August 25, 2022 - CoolClimate Network Smart Tools for a Cooler Planet

U.S> Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg delivers a speech in front of a bridge in Washington, D.C. The podium where he stands has a sign that reads: "Building a Better America."

How Locals Are Planning to Spend $2.2 Billion in RAISE Transportation Grants

The U.S. Department of Transportation earlier this month announced $2.2 billion in RAISE grants. The Biden administration has promised that the RAISE grant program will improve equity and sustainability in the nation's transportation systems.

August 22, 2022 - James Brasuell

Los Angeles STreet

Can Los Angeles Join the Anti-Gas Station Movement?

A growing number of cities in California have prohibited the construction of new gas stations. Los Angeles could soon consider an ordinance to do the same—in a landmark move for the city some believe to be a symbol of car-dependent sprawl.

July 14, 2022 - Los Angeles Times

Freeway Interchange Construction

Biden Administration Proposes New Rule to Track Emission Reductions by State DOTs

Some skepticism is warranted about the potential impact of a proposed federal rule for states and regional planning agencies to track greenhouse gas reductions from transportation investment.

July 10, 2022 - Federal Highway Administration

A woman on an electric bike and two women on electric scooters wait at an intersection for the light to change.

The Electric Scooter Rebound

The nascent electric scooter rental industry came close to total collapse during the pandemic, but riders are back in bigger numbers than ever and the companies hope to build momentum on growing concerns about the climate impacts of transportation.

May 29, 2022 - Bloomberg

Madison Bike

Wisconsin Republicans Block Congestion, Pollution Funds From Bike and Ped Projects

It was always a risk that states would use funding from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to double down on the transportation systems that create congestion and air pollution.

May 1, 2022 - Wisconsin Examiner

The exterior and main entrance of the United States of America Embassy in London. The building is modern and sleek.

The Net Zero Building Boom Is Ready to Scale

While the cultural and infrastructural changes necessary to eliminate carbon emissions from the transportation sector still seem far-fetched, scaling up a net zero building boom is “eminently possible.”

April 12, 2022 - Bloomberg

Intercity Buses

The Road Forward: Cost-Effective Policy Measures To Decrease Emissions From Passenger Land Transport

This new 165-page book, available free, is a resource for identifying practical, cost-effective policies for reducing passenger transport emissions on land, and especially in urban areas.

February 24, 2022 - The Road Forward: Cost-effective Policy Measures To Decrease Emissions From Passenger Land Transport

A aerial view of the Lobau floodplain, located to the north of Vienna, Austria and across the Danube River. Vienna is in the background.

Austria Halts Eight Highway Projects to Fight Climate Change

Austria's Greens political party has achieved a rare political victory against automobile dependence.

December 13, 2021 - Agence France Presse

A high-speed Trenitalia Frecciarossa (red arrow) train, pictured at the Milan Central Station.

Intercity High-Speed Rail Outlasts Italy's National Airline

European countries are committing to making intercity rail the preferable option compared to domestic and intra-continental flights. The shift seems to be working in Italy.

October 15, 2021 - CNN Travel

Clean Energy

Saved by the $3.5 Billion U.S. Budget Package: a Gigaton of Greenhouse Gas Emissions

As the details of the $3.5 trillion budget package under development in the U.S. House of Representatives begin to emerge, so to do the potential climate change benefits.

September 21, 2021 - Rhodium Group

How's My Driving

To Save the Climate: Driving Habits Must Change

Even with ambitious electric Vehicle adoption, the United States must reduce vehicle miles traveled by 20 percent before the end of the decade to limit warming to 1.5°C, according to new research by the Rocky Mountain Institute.

August 30, 2021 - Rocky Mountain Institute

Dockweiler State Beach

U.S. on Track to Reduce Emissions by 2030, Report Says

The latest edition of the Rhodium Group's "Taking Stock" report accounts for the uncertainties of Covid-19 recovery while charting the trends in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

July 20, 2021 - Rhodium Group

Single-Family Homes

On the Essential Role of Land Use in the Fight Against Climate Change

The country cannot hope to achieve its goals for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions without fundamentally rethinking its land use and development patterns, according to this article.

May 24, 2021 - Brookings

Florida Pedestrians

Earn Rewards for Traveling for by Foot, Bike, Bus, or Train

The city of Orlando is partnering with the Miles app.

May 9, 2021 - Orlando Weekly

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HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

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HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.