Carbon Emissions

Row of refrigerated trucks with food delivery company logos under freeway overpass in the Bronx, NYC.

NYC Congestion Pricing Revenue Will Fund up to 1,000 Hybrid Refrigerated Trucks

Traffic to the Hunts Point Produce Market causes increased rates of asthma in surrounding neighborhoods.

April 2, 2026 - The City

Man using lime green leaf blower in front of restaurant with sandwich board advertising mimosas in Miami Beach, Florida.

Florida Farm Bill Blocks Local Bans on Gas-Powered Tools

The law also paves the way for agricultural uses on land previously designated for conservation.

March 31, 2026 - Grist

Blue :clean energy" bus blurred passing on city street.

FTA Kills ‘Social Cost of Carbon’ in Transit Grant Criteria

The Capital Investments Grant program will no longer factor in the future impacts of carbon emissions.

November 20, 2025 - Progressive Railroading

Refinery in Los Angeles, California.

California’s Cap and Trade Program Up in the Air

The state’s carbon trading program is being attacked as ineffective from one side and overly onerous from the other.

August 14, 2025 - Los Angeles Times

Cyclist on folding bike riding next to silver car on city street.

How the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Impacts Transportation

Five ways the bill negatively impacts U.S. transportation policy.

July 14, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Large port with containers, cranes, and ships at dusk.

How Planners Can Help Cut Corporate Carbon

Up to 75 percent or more of many companies’ greenhouse gas emissions come from activities impacted by urban planning. Like it or not, planners are key players in mitigation. Technology can help.

June 16, 2025 - Devin Partida

Street scene in Kathmandu, Nepal with yellow minibuses and other traffic.

The Small South Asian Republic Going all in on EVs

Thanks to one simple policy change less than five years ago, 65% of new cars in this Himalayan country are now electric.

June 15, 2025 - Fast Company

Two Rivian trucks charging at Rivian branded charging ports.

US Senate Reverses California EV Mandate

The state planned to phase out the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035, a goal some carmakers deemed impossible to meet.

May 22, 2025 - CALmatters

Close-up of white panel at top of school bus with "100% electric" black text.

Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation

California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.

April 30, 2025 - California Air Resources Board

View of cars in traffic from behind with visible tailpipe emissions

USDOT Repeals Emissions Monitoring Rule

A Biden-era regulation required states to report and plan to reduce transportation-related emissions.

April 23, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Close-up of Hybrid logo on back of silver Toyota sedan.

Toyota’s Hybrid Popularity Outpaces Production Worldwide

Soaring global demand for Toyota's hybrid vehicles is straining the automaker’s supply chain, leading to widespread delays as component shortages and limited production capacity challenge its ability to keep up.

April 1, 2025 - Reuters

Close-up of open charging port with charging cable plugged in on yellow electric school bus.

Pittsburgh Rolls Out Electric School Buses

Pittsburgh Public Schools has launched its first electric school buses, with plans to fully electrify its fleet over the next 14 months, aiming to create a cleaner, more sustainable transportation system supported by new charging infrastructure.

March 31, 2025 - CBS Pittsburgh

Two white and red Stadler electric Caltrain trains next to each other on a sunny day.

Which US Rail Agencies Are Buying Zero-Emissions Trains?

U.S. rail agencies are slowly making the shift to zero-emissions trains, which can travel longer distances without refueling and reduce air pollution.

March 30, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Glass building with green tree behind it.

EPA Terminates $116 Million in Grants for Reducing Emissions from Construction Materials

C-MORE grants were earmarked for industry trade groups and universities.

March 27, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Row of double-headed street lights against orange sunset sky.

How Smart Street Lights Can Help Cities Achieve Sustainability Goals

Switching to energy-efficient LEDs and using tech to program when and how street lighting operates can save cities millions in electricity expenses and bring down carbon emissions.

March 27, 2025 - Cities Today

View of Los Angeles skyline at sunrise with yellow and green trees in foreground

LA’s Trees Absorb More Carbon Than Expected, But Can’t Do It Alone

A USC study finds that Los Angeles’ urban trees absorb more carbon than expected, but while they provide crucial environmental benefits, they cannot replace the urgent need for systemic emissions reductions.

February 28, 2025 - Phys.org

View of cars in traffic from behind with visible tailpipe emissions

Report: 14 States Increased Per-Capita Carbon Emissions

Many of the states on the list are red-leaning states that fought against federal environmental reporting regulations.

November 20, 2024 - Streetsblog USA

Close-up of pipe labeled with yellow and black Natural Gas sticker.

Louisiana Planning Massive ‘Mystery’ Data Center

The center would be powered by a new, 1,500-megawatt natural gas plant, which critics say will drive up emissions and contribute negatively to the region’s air quality.

November 19, 2024 - Floodlight

Two-lane rural road with stoplights hanging above roadway and construction visible in distance.

Report: Some Rural States Ahead of More Urbanized Ones in Reducing Transportation Emissions

This is a largely unintended consequence of states with lower populations and resources focusing on repairing existing roads and infrastructure rather than expanding and building new roads.

November 14, 2024 - Bloomberg CityLab

View of Washington state capitol dome in Olympia, Washington at golden hour.

Washington Voters Keep Carbon Tax

An initiative that would have ended the state’s “cap and invest” program failed, leaving the program in place.

November 12, 2024 - Governing

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.

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Transportation Planner I

KFH Group Inc.

Director, Strategy and Research

Greater Baltimore Committee

Top Books

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The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.