Climate Change

The Non-Environmental Reasons for a Massive Switch to Electric Cars
There are several practical reasons people will soon be switching to plugin electrical vehicles. Judging from past examples, the shift in consumer preference will be swift and decisive, catching car manufacturers by surprise.

The Consequences of Sea Level Rise in the Florida Everglades
In South Florida, much of the focus in dealing with seal level rise has been on pumps and property values. A strong case is emerging, however, for the protection of the natural environment of the Everglades.

World Bank Report: Climate Change Puts 1.3 Billion People at Risk
Among the other interesting facts acknowledged by the World Bank: the costs of dealing with the effects of climate change are already increasingly quickly.

Documenting the Trail of the Huge Fire in Canada
An unusually large and hot fire has struck Alberta, Canada at an unusually early time of year. According to researchers, this is the new normal.

Mayoral Op-Ed: Give Cities the Power to Address Climate Change
In an opinion piece, former mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York joins Anne Hidalgo of Paris and Eduardo Paes of Rio de Janeiro. They argue that national governments should give cities every possible tool to cut emissions.

Interior Department Secretary Jumps Into Fossil Fuel Debate
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell expressed a surprisingly pro-industry viewpoint in response to the growing "keep it in the ground" environmental movement.

The Path to Success for an Effective Carbon Tax
A Vox explainer describes the complex political, economic, and cultural obstacles to overcome in achieving a carbon tax equal to the social cost of carbon.

Los Angeles Reaps the Benefits of Restoring the Santa Monica Bay
Los Angeles has made major progress in restoring the Santa Monica Bay. Now, The Bay Foundation's Tom Ford sees opportunities for L.A. to capitalize on its natural resources.
Meet the Youth Plaintiffs Suing for Climate Change Action
A federal magistrate judge recently allowed a group of 21 youth plaintiffs to proceed with a lawsuit charging the federal government with neglecting their constitutional rights by failing to act on climate change.

Rebecca Solnit: Public Transit Is Greater Than Self-Driving Cars
Rebecca Solnit writes a pointed criticism of the wave of optimism attached to the self-driving car. Her preference: public transit.
Coal Industry: Down but Not Out
It's easy to focus on the shrinking market share and layoffs in the coal industry and see the demise of the industry, but construction of new coal burning power plants is still booming in countries like China and India.
L.A. County's Strategy for Better Park Planning Explained
Los Angeles County's Community Parks and Recreation Plans (CPRPs) are an evolved methodology to process a broad range of data to better site and design community parks. CPRPs are explained by L.A. County park planner Clement Lau
Saving Coastal Cities from Climate Change
A new whitepaper outlines solutions for improving the resiliency and sustainability of coastal cities around the world—using Red Hook, Brooklyn as a case study.
Cities Try To Figure Out How To Be 'Resilient'
The organization 100 Resilient Cities has funded 'chief resilience officers' in 66 cities worldwide. It's helping four California cities prepare for 'stresses and shocks' including earthquakes, sea level rise, and even poverty.
Social Equity: The Missing Leg of the Three-Legged Stool of Climate Action
Climate action plans cannot succeed without bona fide action on social equity and job creation, argues Murtaza Baxamusa who teaches planning at USC and develops affordable housing Murtaza Baxamusa.
President Obama and Prime Minister Trudeau Agree to Reduce Methane Emissions
Climate change was front and center at a Thursday morning joint press conference at the White House, where U.S. President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau agreed to several energy, environmental, and Arctic initiatives.
Miami-Dade Reports Leaking Wastewater from Turkey Point Nuclear Plant
The bad news for Biscayne Bay is the latest in a string of bad news for the Turkey Point nuclear plant.

Miami's Looming Climate Change Disaster
Many experts believe that a property crash, as a result of Hurricanes or sea level rise, on the coast of South Florida is inevitable. But that hasn't deterred the suppliers or the consumers in the Miami real estate market.
Madrid to Blanket Itself in Green for Climate Change Resilience
Madrid, already famous for deciding to impose stringent limitations on driving, has a plan to blanket the city in green to increase its resilience to the effects of climate change.
How to Beat Extreme Heat
Louisville, Kentucky has recently been named the "most rapidly growing urban heat island" in the U.S., but what led to this title? Jeff Byles traces how cities are becoming increasingly warm through a number of different factors, including economic.
Pagination
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions