Climate Change
On the Altered Landscapes of the Wildfire West
The heightened intensity of wildfires in the Western United States, along with other human factors, are short-circuiting the natural processes of rebirth.
Carbon-Saving Urban Development Makes Economic Sense
A new report stresses the importance of international cooperation on low-carbon development.
Lessons from Washington's Record Breaking Wildfire Season
The largest fire in the state history is burning in Washington. This year's particularly bad fires had predictable, perhaps preventable, origins.
'Digital Coast' Connects Planners and Data for Coastal Resilience
A new resource created by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in partnership with the APA makes it easier for planners to access the data necessary to plan for climate adaptation, sea level rise, and other forms of coastal resilience.
Connecticut Shoreline Rail Vulnerable to Floods
Long stretches of Connecticut's "lifeblood" shoreline rail line lie in the path of rising seas and future floods. While moving the tracks further inland is prohibitively expensive, a resilience plan is still needed.
Urban Heat Waves Likely to Hit Harder
Yet another climate change side effect: more frequent urban heat waves. And because urban temperatures tend higher than rural ones, cities should be ready to protect the most vulnerable.
5 Resilience Plans for the 21st Century
Resilience is one of the hottest buzzwords in contemporary planning, and planners in communities around the country are only beginning to realize the multiple benefits of the attention and funding devoted to resilience plans.
Chinese 'Sponge Cities' Will Capture Rainwater
Existing grey infrastructure in China cannot cope with rapid urban expansion and frequent droughts and floods. Several cities, with Beijing's approval, are experimenting with rainwater capture methods as an alternative.
Gov. Jerry Brown: Committed to Fighting Climate Change
Reporting from a two-day conference in Toronto where states and provinces organized to tackle climate change in advance of a UN conference, political reporter Chris Megerian profiles Gov. Brown's climate change commitment in five articles.
Ice Cream, Heavy Trucks, and Carbon Emissions
An op-ed by Jostein Solheim, CEO of Ben & Jerry's, supports the second phase of greenhouse gas emissions and fuel efficiency standards for medium- and heavy-duty engines and vehicles that would become effective 2018.
How Passive Houses Radically Reduce Energy Consumption
Passive house construction has gained traction in Europe, but has only recently started to get noticed in the United States. Writer Alex Ulam discusses the emergence of this design approach as well as its implications for use in the coming years.
Georgia State Report Predicts Major Impacts to Natural Habitat
Climate change and sprawl are identified as the culprits in the eradication of critical natural habitat by the year 2050.
Phoenix Mayor Advocates Self-Reliance Due to Federal Gridlock
Frustrated with Congress' inability to fund a six-year transportation bill, Mayor Greg Stanton is backing an August sales tax measure to expand light rail. Stanton also discusses climate change and water rights in the article and accompanying videos
A 'New Era of Wildfires' in Alaska
The last great U.S. wilderness won't forever remain the frozen tundra imagined by residents of the Lower 48. A new report finds evidence of Alaska's transformation in the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires around the state.
Boston Hopes to Make it Easier for Developers to Prepare for Rising Seas
Several agencies with the city of Boston will begin studying how to retrofit the city's building codes to prepare for the impacts of climate change.
No Papal Blessing for Cap-And-Trade
Governments must take correction actions to address climate change, warned Pope Francis in his June 18 encyclical, but cap-and-trade, which places a price on carbon emissions but can lead to speculation, is not one of them.
Pope Francis Taps Planners to Help Solve Climate Change
Pope Francis's unprecedented focus on climate change and the environment includes strong messages for planners and designers of the built environment.
United Nations Agreement Takes Action Against Deforestation
In a mover that came to a surprise to United Nations observers, the international body reached agreement on the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation, or REDD+, initiative.
Meet the Woman Inspiring Climate Resilience in Miami Beach
If the Miami region manages to weather the climate change storm, it will be thanks to effective collaboration between government, the public, and private interests. Meet the woman tasked with starting that process in Miami Beach.
Québec Institutionalizes Its 'Fight Against Climate Change'
For Québec, climate action is a top priority that transcends party agendas—so the province is partnering with other sub-national entities to bypass national politics in building a cap-and-trade market.
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
