Climate Adaptation

Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao

Elaine Chao Confirmed as U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary

Elaine Chao, who served eight years as labor secretary under President George W. Bush, was confirmed on Jan. 31 as the Secretary of Transportation, on a 93-6 vote.

February 1, 2017 - USA Today

Northridge Earthquake, 1994

Five Lessons for Resilience

Resilience is commonly understood as the capacity to endure shocks and stresses. But for Lisa Dickson, Arup’s resilience leader for the Americas, this definition is too limiting. Jeff Byles talks with her about five key lessons on resilience.

December 15, 2016 - Doggerel

California Big Sur

Making California Climate-Resilient

California is working on a plan to adapt infrastructure statewide to the future impacts of climate change.

December 1, 2016 - The Planning Report

Vietnam Bridge

Report: Emerging Markets Offer $23 Trillion in Climate Investment Opportunities

Many countries have rolled out climate policies since the adoption of the Paris Agreement in December 2015. A new report gathers data on the capital investments that will drive the construction of all that new infrastructure.

November 9, 2016 - International Finance Corporation

Oroville Drought

New California Law Empowers Local Governments to Plan for Climate Adaptation

State Senator Bob Wieckowski is working to help communities get the necessary tools to increase capacity for climate resilience.

November 4, 2016 - The Planning Report

Sea-Level Rise

Bay Area to Create Regional Plan for Sea-Level Rise

California wants the region to work together to deal with the impacts of climate change.

October 19, 2016 - San Francisco Chronicle

Shasta

Climate Change Requires a Different Paradigm for California's Water Supply

Jeff Kightlinger, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, explains how the impacts of California’s historic drought are already changing the landscape of the American Southwest.

August 26, 2016 - The Planning Report

Fire

Orange County Fire Chief on Southern California's Year-Round Fire Season

California has suffered at least 700 wildfires since the beginning of 2016, and that number is only expected to rise this summer. Orange County Fire Chief Jeff Bowman explains what California must do to combat unprecedented risks.

June 23, 2016 - The Planning Report

Golden Gate

Bay Area Election Roundup: Wetlands, Housing, Ballot-Box Planning, Sales Tax

A regional measure to tax all property owners in the 9-county Bay Area to adapt to sea level rise passes; S.F. voters support raising the affordable housing bar; Richmond voters reject ballot-box planning; San José approves sales tax increase.

June 9, 2016 - Planetizen

Garcetti Tree People

L.A.'s Water Supply Increasingly Relying on Management of Stormwater

In October 2014, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti acted to make the city more resilient from drought and climate change. In 2016, we get an update from leaders Gary Hildebrand and Marty Adams on L.A.'s stormwater capture systems.

May 27, 2016 - The Planning Report

Bay Area Wetlands

Parcel Tax Measure Would Fund Climate Adaptation in Bay Area by Restoring Wetlands

Next month, along with picking presidential, U.S. Senate and legislative candidates, and local ballot measures in a primary election, voters in the Bay Area will also determine the outcome of the first regionwide measure in Bay Area history.

May 11, 2016 - KQED Science

Salt marshes

Mud Wanted: Inquire Where the Sea level Rises

The San Francisco Bay Area serves as a case study, that applies in places like Louisiana as well, of how mud shortages compound the threats of sea level rise.

March 4, 2016 - Climate Central

Cambridge Studying its Vulnerability to Climate Change

The Cambridge Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment is based on detailed climate projections, heat island mapping, and precipitation driven flood modeling. Over 1,000 physical assets and social factors are assessed for vulnerability.

December 8, 2015 - CCVA Report

Too Many Cities Relying on 'Plan and Forget' Climate Adaptation Strategies

A highly critical article suggests that the experts drafting climate adaptation plans should re-evaluate their assumptions about what works and what is likely to collect dust on a shelf as the sea rises.

December 4, 2015 - The Conversation

irrigation

What Urban Planners Fail to Grasp in Climate Action Plans

Climate mitigation and adaptation have become de rigeur aspects of urban planning for most cities, according to results from MIT's international Urban Climate Change Governance Survey. What's missing in most plans is the link to economic development.

June 5, 2014 - MIT News

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HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

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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.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.