China

Aerial view of industrial plant with large smokestacks, surrounded by smoke with sunset sky in background.

COP28: Will Developed Nations Reduce Emissions?

Tensions between developed and developing nations surfaced over emissions and energy, with the former focused on reducing fossil fuels and the latter pointing to unrealized emissions reductions from the nations most responsible for global warming.

December 6, 2023 - The Wall Street Journal

A large, four-story apartment building is surrounded by grass and concrete walkways.

The Dividing Line Between Good and Bad Density

Not all density is good, according to the participants at recent event hosted by the Congress for the New Urbanism’s District of Columbia chapter, and examples of new developments cross the line all over the world.

April 19, 2023 - Public Square: A CNU Journal

Close-up of row of electric car charging stations in a covered garage structure

Dramatic Decline in New EV Models to Qualify for Federal Tax Credit

The Treasury Department released long-awaited rules required by the historic Inflation Reduction Action on March 31 that will determine which electric vehicle models purchased after April 17 will qualify for a federal credit up to $7,500.

April 7, 2023 - The Verge

People walking on sidewalk adjacent to bike lane with trees and buildings in background in Hong Kong park

Tiny Parks Make Big Impact in Hong Kong

New pocket parks provide valuable opportunities for residents to play and gather in the territory's dense neighborhoods.

October 26, 2022 - CNN

A high-speed rail is blurred as it passes a modern skyline in China.

Friday Funny: The Onion Blasts U.S. for Slow Trains

The satirical news site The Onion has imagined a world where China and the United States are competing over which country can operate the slowest, least dependable train systems.

July 15, 2022 - The Onion

An aerial view down the length of the Jeddah coastline in Saudi Arabia, showing coastal developments, beaches, and a few high-rise buildings along the shoreline.

Skyscraper Watch: Where the Tallest Buildings Are Under Construction

Of the 25 tallest buildings currently under construction around the world, only one is foun in the United States. The vast majority are in China.

April 19, 2022 - ArchDaily

Burj Khalifa

We Now Can Build Really Tall Skyscrapers. But Why?

The new book Super Tall, by architect and writer Stefan Al, explains how the new generation of skyscrapers are built and how they fit into their respective urban fabrics.

March 18, 2022 - CommonEdge Collaborative

Social Distancing

Second Anniversary of the COVID-19 Pandemic

March 11 marked the second anniversary of WHO's declaration of the pandemic and the beginning of its third year. Cases continue to plummet in the U.S. and plateau globally while war in Europe has overshadowed the virus that has killed 6 million.

March 16, 2022 - The Associated Press

COVID-19 Test

COVID Zero: The High Price of Containment

Vision Zero: a strategy to eliminate road crashes, particularly those with fatal outcomes. COVID Zero: a strategy to end coronavirus transmission. Only one has worked—but at a steep price.

January 27, 2022 - The New York Times

Subway in India

The Fastest Growing Cities in the World

None of the fastest growing cities in the world are found in North or South America.

January 4, 2022 - City Monitor

Seychelles

Pandemic Paradox: World's Most Vaccinated Country Also the Most Infected

Is the lesson from the Seychelles, an African archipelago nation in the Indian Ocean, that all COVID-19 vaccines are not the same? If so, that could spell trouble for other countries relying on the Sinopharm and Covishield vaccines.

May 14, 2021 - Bloomberg News

Coronavirus

An American Lockdown

Words matter. Road safety advocates know that "crashes are not accidents." Similarly, calling coronavirus restrictions "lockdowns," fails to distinguish the severity among public health orders. On January 6, America experienced a true lockdown.

January 25, 2021 - NPR

Biden administration

The Pandemic Expert in the Biden Cabinet Who is Not on the Biden Health Team

Ron Klain, President Obama's former Ebola response coordinator, will serve as chief of staff to President-elect Joe Biden. This post also looks at all the appointments and nominations for Biden's health team that will devise a Covid response.

December 28, 2020 - The Atlantic

Freeway Construction

Cities Have Doubled in Size Globally in the Last 20 Years, Study Says

New research from China finds an incredible rate of urban expansion in North America and China.

November 9, 2020 - South China Morning Post

Parks

Pandemic Reveals the Importance of Open Space to Health and Well-Being

Hong Kong provides a lesson in the importance of open space for the health and well-being of residents, especially during the isolation and distancing of a pandemic.

September 23, 2020 - BBC

Hong Kong Towers

Better Planning Needed to Address Effects of Urban Heat Island in Hong Kong

A recent study reveals the detrimental impact of hot nights compared to hot days, with the region experiencing hotter summers and more hot days due to climate change and the heat island effect.

August 24, 2020 - SmartCitiesWorld

Guangzhou

China's Big Recovery Bet: High-Speed Rail

In China, economic stimulus means high-speed rail spending—and lots of it.

August 19, 2020 - Global Construction Review

Hong Kong

The Greener Side of Hong Kong: Five Parks to Visit

Most people only know Hong Kong as an urban jungle and one of the densest cities in the world. However, there are actually green places where its residents can go for exercise and relaxation.

July 17, 2020 - South China Morning Post

Global warming and pollution

The Post-Pandemic Economy Could Be Dirtier Than Ever

The environmental gains at the beginning of the pandemic were only temporary., and there are signs more signs every day that the economy will be dirtier than ever in the future.

July 8, 2020 - National Geographic

Coronavirus Protest

Academic Studies: Staying at Home Saved Millions of Lives Globally

Separate coronavirus studies from the University of California at Berkeley and Imperial College London published June 8 in the journal Nature show the life and health-saving value of domestic stay-at-home orders, global lockdowns, and other measures.

June 15, 2020 - The Washington Post

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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

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