Controlling carbon emissions hinges on encouraging cities that have small carbon footprints, writes Matthew E. Kahn.
As efforts to tax or price carbon falter, countering climate change will rely on encouraging low-carbon urbanism, according to Kahn.
"Up until this point, there has not been the political will either at Copenhagen in late 2009 or in the U.S Senate in 2010 to enact such regulation. In the absence of such explicit anti-carbon incentives, we need to encourage the growth of those cities that have relatively small carbon footprints. In the United States, cities such as San Francisco have a smaller carbon footprint than cities such as Houston. In San Francisco, residents live in smaller housing units at higher population density. They are more likely to use public transit and due to the temperate climate, they consume less electricity. Electricity generated in California creates less greenhouse gas emissions than other cities because the power is generated using natural gas rather than coal. In China, northern cities in colder climates that require more winter warmth use ample amounts of coal and this increases such city's carbon footprint relative to more southern cities."
FULL STORY: A Hotter Future: Climate Change and the Global City

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

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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