Environment

Post-Tropical Cyclone Sandy made landfall at 8pm ET on October 29, 2012 about 5 miles southwest of Atlantic City, NJ, as seen in this NOAA GOES-13 satellite colorized infrared image from the same time.

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?

November 5, 2012 - Edward J. Blakely

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of new neifhborhood under construction with enpty lots in foreground.

In California Battle of Housing vs. Environment, Housing Just Won

A new state law significantly limits the power of CEQA, an environmental review law that served as a powerful tool for blocking new development.

July 2, 2025 - CALmatters

People swimming in Rhine River on a sunny day with low-rise, dense buildings along waterfront in background.

Is Your City Swimmable?

An interview with organizers of the inaugural Swimmable Cities Summit, which took place this June 22-24 in Rotterdam, NL.

June 30, 2025 - Mark Tirpak

Heat map of extreme heat in rural U.S. communities.

Data: In Rural America, Mobile Homes are Heat Traps

Extreme heat is often viewed as an urban problem, but rural communities face their own unique risks.

June 29, 2025 - The Daily Yonder

Man walking down city sidewalk with sweat on back of his t-shirt on hot day.

Index Measures Impact of Heat on Pedestrian Activity

When heat and humidity are high, people are more likely to opt for cars when possible.

June 26, 2025 - Streetsblog Mass

Road sign with EXTREME HEAT ALERT surrounded by orange traffic cones

Hundreds of New Yorkers Hospitalized Due to Extreme Heat

A brutal heat wave is causing hospitalizations for heat-related illnesses, an increasingly common threat as summers get warmer.

June 26, 2025 - Gothamist

People at beach on sunny day doing clean-up of plastic bottles and other trash.

Plastic Bag Bans Actually Worked

U.S. coastal areas with plastic bag bans or fees saw significant reductions in plastic bag pollution — but plastic waste as a whole is growing.

June 24, 2025 - Fast Company

Agrilus auroguttatus image

Southern Californians Survey Trees for Destructive Oak Pest

Hundreds of volunteers across five counties participated in the first Goldspotted Oak Borer Blitz, surveying oak trees for signs of the invasive beetle and contributing valuable data to help protect Southern California’s native woodlands.

June 22, 2025 - UC ANR Green Blog

Map of EV charging ports in rural U.S. communities.

The EV “Charging Divide” Plaguing Rural America

With “the deck stacked” against rural areas, will the great electric American road trip ever be a reality?

June 20, 2025 - The Daily Yonder

Two small wooden one-story homes in Florida with floodwaters at their doors.

As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?

With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.

June 16, 2025 - Governing

Street scene in Kathmandu, Nepal with yellow minibuses and other traffic.

The Small South Asian Republic Going all in on EVs

Thanks to one simple policy change less than five years ago, 65% of new cars in this Himalayan country are now electric.

June 15, 2025 - Fast Company

Two children and an adult looking out over railing at Grand Canyon.

DOJ Says Trump Has Power to Roll Back National Monuments

The opinion sheds light on how the administration may justify its effort to eliminate protected public lands.

June 12, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Group of children playing on splash pad in urban park.

How Extreme Heat Impacts Children

As summers get hotter and more dangerous, parents can take steps to protect kids from heat-related illnesses.

June 11, 2025 - NBC Los Angeles

An arched bridge over a pond in a Japanese garden surrounded by bright red and yellow foliage.

‘Quiet Parks’ Highlight Importance of Silence for Public Health

The initiative recognizes parks and other areas that preserve natural quiet in a world full of noise pollution.

June 11, 2025 - Reasons to Be Cheerful

Group of five people sitting on blanket in park on sunny day having picnic.

Parks: Essential Community Infrastructure — and a Smart Investment

Even during times of budget constraint, continued investment in parks is critical, as they provide proven benefits to public health, safety, climate resilience, and community well-being — particularly for under-resourced communities.

June 10, 2025 - National Recreation and Park Association Open Space Blog

Chinese morel mushrooms growing on a log with green leaves.

Fungi to the Rescue: How Mushrooms Are Helping Clean Up Toxic Lands

Fungi are emerging as powerful tools in environmental cleanup, with scientists and community leaders using mushrooms to break down pollutants and restore contaminated soil.

June 10, 2025 - Smithsonian Magazine

Sun rising over downtown Los Angeles with tall palm trees visible in foreground. Image is bright orange-red indicating extreme heat.

LA County Creating Action Plan to Tackle Extreme Heat

Los Angeles County is creating a Heat Action Plan to help communities stay safe during extreme heat, with steps like adding more shade, improving buildings, and supporting the neighborhoods most at risk.

June 9, 2025 - Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability Office

Distant view of oil derrick on barren plain with harsh sun in background.

Texas Moves to Curb Orphan Wells, But Critics Say Loopholes Remain

A proposed state law would shift financial responsibility for sealing unused drilling sites from the public to energy operators, though some advocates question its effectiveness due to industry-backed exemptions.

June 9, 2025 - Texas Public Radio

Ground level view of Alaska Pipeline oil pipeline near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska with bare mountains in background.

New Alaska Bitcoin Mine Would Burn as Much Energy as the State’s Largest Coal Plant

Fueled by “stranded” natural gas, the startup hopes to become the largest in the US, and to make Alaska an industry center.

June 8, 2025 - Alaska Beacon

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.