Environment
Report: Skyscrapers a Driving Factor of the Urban Heat Island Effect
As cities build upwards in an effort to create more housing and increase walkability, research shows that tall buildings intensify heat and contribute to increased carbon emissions.
Federal Government Declares Water Shortage as Lake Mead Reaches Critical Low
The first-of-its-kind declaration triggers major water cutbacks for Arizona farmers and reduced allocations for Nevada and Mexico.
Resiliency Hubs Help Baltimore Plan for Climate Emergency
The Green New Deal for Cities, a bill introduced in April by reps. Cori Bush (D-MO) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), includes among the list of projects eligible for funding those that "build capacity for communities to endure extreme weather."
California Energy Commission Mandates Solar Power
In an effort to curb the state's greenhouse gas emissions, builders will be required to include solar power in many new commercial and large residential buildings.
Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Heads to the House: Details and Reactions From the Planning World
Planetizen gathered explainer posts and advocacy responses that continue to shine a light on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, approved by the U.S. Senate earlier this month.
How to Fight Climate Change and Increase Resiliency, Naturally
Five actions governments could take quickly to reduce emissions and restore ecosystems.
Why It's So Difficult to Measure Heat Deaths
Without a standard for recording and classifying heat-related deaths, experts believe the scale of the problem is much bigger than numbers let on.
Cities in the South and West Keep Sprawling
New suburbs continue to expand into previously undeveloped areas, putting strain on local resources.
Delivering Clean Water to the Many in Need
Examining the immense scale of the challenge in delivering clean drinking water to everyone in the world.
Bipartisan 'Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act' Passes the Senate
A final vote of 69-30, with 19 Republicans joining their Democratic colleagues in the Senate, will send the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to the House.
Creating Urban Wilderness in the South Bay of L.A. County
The South Bay Parkland Conservancy is working to create a connected urban wilderness throughout the South Bay with trails, parks, and native habitat for wildlife.
Developers Pull Plans for Hydroelectric Dams on Navajo Land
Developers have pulled plans that would have created two reservoirs upriver from where the Little Colorado and Colorado rivers meet in Grand Canyon National Park.
No Place to Skateboard
Even as Japanese skateboarders achieve Olympic glory, skateboarding is still viewed as an unacceptable nuisance on Tokyo’s streets and parks.
Time Is Running Out to Limit the Damage of Climate Change, According to Historic UN Report
The role of humans in creating immense risks from extreme weather, drought, sea-level rise, and bio-diversity loss is "unequivocal," according to a landmark study by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Sacramento Plans for Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
The city wants to install a network of more than 3,000 charging stations, with a focus on underserved communities.
Study: Recreational Trails Program Underfunded by Over $200 Million
FHA research shows that multi-use trail users contribute three times as much in gas taxes as the program to build and maintain them receives.
How Cities Can Manage Drought Risk and Conserve Water
As climate change and population growth strain fresh water resources, tactics from around the world provide universal lessons for building water-smart cities.
Over 80 Million People Live in Flood Zones
New research shows a 24% increase in people living in flood-prone areas since 2000, prompting calls for increased adaptation measures.
The Problem with Tree Planting Programs
Ambitious campaigns to plant trees in urban areas often don't take into account the complexities of growing and maintaining effective urban forests.
Lake Powell's Houseboat Launches Running Dry
Record low water levels are sinking Lake Powell's houseboat industry as climate change threatens water supplies in the West.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
Eagle County Government
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
