The official G.O.P. platform approved at the party's convention on Tuesday included tough language on U.N. Agenda 21, decrying it as "erosive of American sovereignty," reports Leslie Kaufman.
Despite the fact that the 1992 United Nations resolution (Agenda 21) that encourages sustainable development globally "is nonbinding and has no force of law in the United States," fringe elements of the Republican party who are convinced that the resolution is a conspiracy to deny Americans their property rights have managed to push the item to the mainstream.
"...the inclusion of language for Agenda 21
in the Republican Party platform could mark a turning point, said Tom
Madrecki, a spokesman for Smart Growth America, an advocacy group that works to limit sprawl," writes Kaufman.
"Though the actual language of the platform
does not say anything besides ‘we oppose Agenda 21,' the fact that it's
in the platform gives credence to something that just shouldn't get
any," he said.
He said he's concerned that formalizing opposition
to Agenda 21 will bring more disruption and will "continue halting
beneficial conversations about community planning."
Read the full story: Republican Platform Opposes Agenda 21
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Seattle passes record-breaking transit services expansion
Proposition 1 will double the city’s transit tax to add 95,000 more bus trips and preserve 180,000 bus trips annually.
Post election, Texas is no longer Musk’s 'AI oasis'
Elon Musk dolled out $446 million on the 2026 midterms, the most ever spent by a non-canidate.
Chicago voters approve permanent festival grounds, penalty for vacant property owners
Currently, major summer and fall festivals take over public parks for weeks at a time, drawing criticism from nearby residents
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority