Cities around the world are putting sustainability and climate change at the forefront of economic recovery plans.
"Mayors from cities in Europe, the US and Africa held talks this week to coordinate their efforts to support a low-carbon, sustainable recovery from the crisis as national governments begin to implement huge economic stimulus packages," report Matthew Taylor and Sandra Laville.
In planning for life after the pandemic, leaders of C40 cities are looking to strategies that will address climate changes and inequality and create healthier, safer cities. Planned and proposed initiatives include new bike lanes and car-free streets, tree plantings, building retrofitting to boost energy efficiency, and investments in solar and wind infrastructure.
"The initiatives are designed to allow people to move around urban spaces safely in a world where physical distancing will be the norm for the foreseeable future – and do so without sparking a drastic increase in air pollution," write Taylor and Laville.
FULL STORY: City leaders aim to shape green recovery from coronavirus crisis
Renewable Energy Powers Entire State of California—for a Few Minutes
Last Saturday afternoon, thanks to a combination of high production and reduced consumption, California’s power needs were met almost entirely by renewable energy sources.
Outdated Electric Grid Could Hamper Texas Transition to Renewables
Although Texas easily has the potential to phase out coal with the renewable energy projects in the works around the state, its aging transmission lines and outdated infrastructure could delay the transition.
Outdated Grid Can Stymie Renewables
As more wind and solar plants get built in remote locations, utilities must figure out how to transport and store energy over increasingly vast distances.
Planning for Congestion Relief
The third and final installment of Planetizen's examination of the role of the planning profession in both perpetuating and solving traffic congestion.
Car Noise Is Killing Us
It’s not just traffic collisions that kill—a new study from researcher at Rutgers finds that the loud noises emanating from cars has direct impact on heart health in Americans.
Acceptable Deaths
What can we learn from our Covid response?
Fare-Free Transit Hasn’t Reduced Car Trips, Data Says
Fare-free transit isn’t the climate change benefit that many have hoped, according to recent writing by David Zipper for Bloomberg.
Redevelopment Threatens Iconic, Affordable Chicago Homes
The ‘workers’ cottages’ are being replaced with larger, more expensive homes, threatening one of the city’s original forms of affordable housing.
Six-Story Parking Lot Nixed From D.C. Union Station Renovation Plans
The Federal Railroad Administration has removed a six-story parking facility included in a 2020 draft Environmental Impact Statement for a $10 billion renovation of Union Station in Washington, D.C.
City of Malibu
EMC Planning Group Inc.
Jefferson Parish
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Rohnert Park
City of Hot Springs
City of Lakeway, Texas
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.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.
