Environment

Jail the Planners for Not Preventing Sandy!
Ed Blakely indicts the planning profession for failing to protect our communities from the threat of a changing climate. How can we plan places that serve as bulwarks from the worst physical traumas, while providing economic and social resiliency?

‘Climate-Proof Duluth’ Is Changing
Climate refugees are already on the move in the United States. The New York Times recently conducted an exploration on of the most desirable locations to escape wildfires, drought, and sea-level rise.

Federal Loan to Support San Diego Desalination Plant Overhaul
The financing will go toward funding an updated cooling system and ensuring the protection of local marine life.

The Joy of Walking
An essay meditating on the simple pleasures of a good walk.

Biden Designates a New National Monument in West Texas
The Castner Range National Monument in West Texas is the second of two new national monuments announced by President Joe Biden this week.

Green Infrastructure Toolkit Launches on World Water Day
The Green Infrastructure Toolkit lists 25 actions local governments can take to transform crusty, impermeable urban landscapes into vibrant, spongy ecosystems that preserve water as a resource and protect against its potential destruction in floods.

Hudson Valley City Bans Fossil Fuels in New Construction
Beacon will require all-electric appliances in new buildings starting next year.

Working With Nature, Not Against It
The concept of ‘natural capital’ calls on policymakers to consider the value of natural infrastructure, which can often improve climate resilience without expensive construction projects.

Historically Redlined Neighborhoods Have Higher Rates of Pedestrian Deaths, Study Says
The consequences of historic redlining continue to have consequences in the present day United States. Add another example to the list.

IPCC Report: The World Is Running Out of Time on Climate Change
The planet is not doing enough to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to a recent report published by the United Nations’ International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Avi Kwa Ame, Sacred Land in Nevada, to Be Preserved as a National Monument
Hundreds of thousands of acres of land in Clark County, Nevada will be preserved by President Biden under the powers of the Antiquities Act, according to reports.

YIMBYs and Environmentalists Team Up at Last
The politics of development in California achieved another significant milestone recently, when a YIMBY organization and an environmental advocacy organization collaborated on new land use legislation to be considered by the State Legislature.

Philadelphia ‘Lights Out Pledge’ Seeks To Prevent Bird Deaths
Migratory birds are often lured away from their normal paths by the bright lights of cities, with deadly results.

Los Angeles County Parks Department Releases Five-Year Strategic Plan
The L.A. County Department of Parks and Recreation recently completed a strategic plan which details goals, strategies, and actions that reflect the agency's commitment to advancing equity.

Inspirational Leadership: Interview with Los Angeles County Parks Director
In a recent interview with the National Recreation and Park Association, L.A. County Parks Director Norma Edith García-Gonzalez shared about her career and the equity-focused work being carried out by the L.A. County Parks Department.

Advancing Equity Through Conservation and Restoration
Los Angeles County's Parks Needs Assessment Plus (PNA+) makes the case that to be equitable, 30x30 efforts must include both conservation of additional natural lands and restoration of degraded lands.

Environmental Justice Advocates Criticize Federal Assessment Tool
A tool designed to guide federal grant distribution may not prioritize the highest-need communities, while conflicting grant guidelines create challenges for local agencies.

Study: L.A.’s Wealthier Residents ‘Export’ Air Pollution to Poorer Neighborhoods
Residents of Los Angeles who drive less are exposed to higher rates of air pollution due to policies that have encouraged commuting through low-income neighborhoods.

SUVs Are Taking a Toll on the Environment
Even with the growth of electric vehicles, experts say the trend toward larger, heavier vehicles is inherently incompatible with environmental goals.

North Carolina Drafts Clean Transportation Plan
Similar to other plans focused on reducing emissions from the transportation plan, North Carolina’s draft Clean Transportation Plan will rely on electric vehicles to reduce emissions from the state’s transportation sector.
Pagination
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
City of Kingsville
Princeton Planning
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Spearfish
City of Lomita
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.