Climate Change

Shrinking Great Salt Lake Is a Ticking Time Bomb
Climate change and population growth are shrinking the Great Salt Lake. The environmental consequences are dire.

Protecting Chicago’s Tree Canopy
Advocates for urban greening are asking the city to boost its tree planting efforts and protect existing trees, which are a key tool for fighting the effects of climate change and worsening heat waves.

Friday Funny: The Onion Satirizes the Federal Government’s Electric Car Fetish
The totally satirical, not-at-all-real website The Onion is back with another planning-related fake news take.

D.C. Region Sets Goal to Reduce GHG Emissions From Transportation 50% by 2030
Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the D.C. region—and the rest of the country. The D.C. region is committing to drastic actions to change their ways, however.

Fighting for Their Future: Hawai’i Kids Sue State Over Greenhouse Gas Emissions
A group of Hawai’ian youth is suing the state’s Department of Transportation, claiming that Hawai’i’s transportation system contributes to climate change and the destruction of homes and cultural traditions.

Declining Water Levels Trigger ‘Stage 1’ Drought Response in Austin
The effects of the megadrought in the American Southwest are reaching into Texas.

Study: Cutting U.S. Emissions by 50 Percent This Decade Is Possible
With coordinated effort at the local, state, and federal levels, the United States could meet its goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030.

The Electric Scooter Rebound
The nascent electric scooter rental industry came close to total collapse during the pandemic, but riders are back in bigger numbers than ever and the companies hope to build momentum on growing concerns about the climate impacts of transportation.

$31 Billion ‘Ike Dike’ Hurricane Protection Project Moving Through Congress
Congress authorized the $31 billion ‘Ike Dike’ sea-level rise adaptation project, along with a laundry list of other water infrastructure projects.

Denver Freeway Widening Plans on Hold
The Colorado Department of Transportation’s plan to widen the Interstate 25 freeway through Denver is one of a few plans to widen urban freeways under consideration in the United States.

Public Perceptions of Sprawl and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Urban density has a bad reputation.

Zoning Stands in the Way of Renewable Energy
Renewable energy is cheap as ever, but zoning isn’t keeping up with the market.

Homes Swept Into the Ocean in North Carolina—the Latest Reminder of Climate Change’s Arrival
A viral video is drawing attention to sea-level rise in one of the most at-risk shorelines in the nation: the Outer Banks in North Carolina.

Parks as a Weapon Against Climate Change
The 2022 ParkScore finds that cities are increasingly employing green space as a tool for mitigating heat and extreme weather effects, but the distribution of parks remains inequitable.

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.

Resilience and Affordable Housing Key Topics at Florida Conference
The conference brought together local planners and policymakers to develop strategies for boosting resilience in coastal areas while maintaining affordable housing stock.

Can Portland Have its Climate Goals and Expand its Highways Too?
Portland wants it both ways, but so do most places. But if Portland can't quit the car habit, which cities can?

The Great Outdoors—Sans Campfires
Regulators are increasingly requiring outdoor adventurers to enjoy wilderness excursions without the solace and warmth of a campfire, as the drought and heat of climate change leaves natural areas ready to spark and burn year-round.

The Climate Story You Might Have Missed
Surface temperatures reached 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit) in India and Pakistan at the end of April. Wet bulb temperature, the point at which the human body can no longer cool itself by sweating, is 35 degrees Celsius.

The New Normal: Less Transit, More Congestion
With transit systems still far below historic levels, and congestion not budging, the worst effects of an automobile dependent nation fall on the environment and low-income households.
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