Environment
Ontario May Strip Protections from Toronto Greenbelt
A proposed bill would open nearly 2 million acres of protected land to commercial and industrial development.
EPA Targets Co-Benefits in Rulemaking—Public Health to Suffer
The Environmental Protection Agency proposed a critical change in the cost-benefit analysis used in the mercury rule that applies to coal-fired power plants. By eliminating the principle of co-benefits, public health impacts would be severe.
LA Times: Poor Planning Sealed Paradise's Fate
The planning history of Paradise, California is blamed for the destruction of the city in the Camp Fire. Can planners find new models for both limiting carbon emissions and preparing for the effects of climate change?
Learning the Wrong Lessons From France's Yellow Vest Movement
The widespread Yellow Vests protests, which initially involved hundreds of thousands of protestors in November, are wrongly being interpreted as a movement against carbon taxes and climate action, rather than a revolt against social inequities.
The Data-Driven Plan to Cool Down Dallas
Dallas's resiliency plan analyzed the best ways to combat heat in every neighborhood.
Democrats Take Steps to Address Climate Change in 116th Congress
Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi has selected Rep. Nancy Castor (D-Fla.) to chair the new Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. Two bills that could advance in the House: the Green New Deal and a carbon tax-and-dividend bill, H.R. 7173.
A Look Back on What Ryan Zinke Is Leaving Behind
Zinke’s tenure at the Interior Department was not lengthy, but the damage he inflicted will be long-lasting.
Wildfires Threaten Over a Million California Structures in High-Risk Areas
With limited action at the state level, communities in vulnerable areas have launched their own local preparedness programs and plans.
Using Artificial Intelligence to Measure Urban Tree Canopies
Machine learning has opened a new frontier in urban forest management.
Electric Vehicle Incentives: A Tale of Two Countries
While Trump wants to end the EV credit program, in part to punish GM for closing unprofitable car manufacturing plants, Norway is scaling back the generous perks that have enabled EV sales to comprise almost half on new auto sales.
North Carolina Reconsidering its Stance on Climate Change
Two hurricanes later, residents of North Carolina aren't so willing to deny the need to do something about the effects of climate change. A Democratic governor and a changing State Legislature have already produced action.
App Provides Real-Time Air Quality Data for Paris
Paris has made some incredibly ambitious and highly controversial policy changes to improve the city's air quality. In the meantime, there's a new app from Valeo to determine the state of the air quality in the city.
The Price of Natural Disasters
Worldwide, natural disasters cost $155 billion in 2018, according to an insurance industry report.
An App for Teaching Forest Management
Augmented reality shows what the forest would look like with a full complement of biodiversity.
Critiquing the Notion of Neighborhood Character
Zócalo Public Square Editor Joe Mathews takes aim at the phrase, “We want to protect the character of the community," calling it a lousy argument in normal times and verging on "treasonous" due to climate change and California's housing crisis.
Most Popular Planning Articles of 2018
We crunched the numbers on all the features, blog posts, and news articles we published in 2018 to figure out which made the biggest splash with readers.
British Columbia's Climate Plan Bans Sales of Gas and Diesel Passenger Vehicles by 2040
Ten years ago, British Columbia launched North America's first carbon tax. This month, Premier John Horgan unveiled the long awaited climate plan, CleanBC, that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below 2007 levels by 2030.
California Pot Farms Stink (Literally), Say Neighbors
Officials overseeing cannabis implementation are having to deal with residents’ complaints that the smell from marijuana operations is overwhelming.
Op-Ed: Cities Leading the Charge to 100 Percent Clean Energy
Four mayors hammer home the point that moving to 100 percent clean energy on the municipal level is environmentally, economically, and politically desirable.
Year in Review: The APA's Advocacy Work in Washington, D.C.
The APA noted that the 115th Congress was "marked by divisive rhetoric, partisan stalemates, and threats to programs on which local communities rely." At the end of the year, however, it could still celebrate substantial victories.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
