Climate Change

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Less Green for Climate Change Critics

Based on the company's annual worldwide giving report, ExxonMobil has significantly reduced grants for climate change research from $3.4 million in 2005 to $800,000 in 2010. But why?

July 3, 2011 - The New York Times

Greenest Cities in North America

Of the 27 high-ranking cities, repeat offenders like San Francisco, NYC, Seattle, and Denver earned top spots. Conspicuously absent from the list is Portland.

July 1, 2011 - USA Today

Urban Development, Climate Change and Chlamydia: The End of Koalas

Officials are estimating that within 30 years, the combined impact of urban development, climate change and a chlamydia outbreak will cause koalas to go extinct.

June 30, 2011 - The Telegraph

Does Climate Change Transcend Partisan Politics?

A Yale University survey yielded a surprising result: climate change policy is becoming less polarizing among Americans of different political affiliations.

June 17, 2011 - D.C. Streesblog

Mega-Cities Team Up to Fight Climate Change

The mayors of the world's biggest cities convened in Sao Paolo recently to team up against climate change and sea level rise. Neal Peirce sees much promise in the effort.

June 11, 2011 - Citiwire

Groundbreaking Climate Change Plan

Once a bastion of sprawl, the San Diego region is now embracing one of the most significant regional planning efforts in the nation's history. It is the first region in California to draft a Sustainable Communities Strategy, as mandated by SB 375.

June 3, 2011 - California Planning & Development Report

Chicago Plans for a Warmer Future

Climate scientists have warned Chicago's planners that the City will be significantly warmer and wetter by the end of theentury. And from street trees to building standards, that message is infiltrating Chicago's planning and design.

May 23, 2011 - A City Prepares for a Warm Long-Term Forecast

Booming West Faces Busted Water Supply

Projections of water shortages and predicted changes in the climate mean bad news for water users in the American West.

May 18, 2011 - Miller-McCune

Planning Sidewalks in an Age of Climate Change

A new report on sidewalks and climate change in Seattle prompts a call to urban planners and municipal officials to take greater care in installing sidewalks in neighborhoods.

April 24, 2011 - Crosscut

Every City For Itself: Adapting to Climate Change

What cities are best prepared for climate change, and which will falter? Josh Stephens reviews Climatopolis: How Our Cities Will Thrive in a Hotter Future by Matthew Kahn.

April 7, 2011 - Josh Stephens

Transportation is Destiny

Transportation is destiny, and cities must adapt. Demography: ditto. Bill Barnes finds digs into a pile of "big think" planning books and pulls out a number of lessons for the future.

April 6, 2011 - Nation's Cities Weekly

Climate Change and the Urban Water Crisis

As population growth and climate change set in, cities in developing countries will face major shortages of freshwater. A new report looks at how those cities could be affected and what preventive steps they should start taking.

April 2, 2011 - Grist

Will Safety Concerns Curb the Spread of Wind Power?

Speigel Online reports that wind turbines are proving to be prone to breakdowns and accidents. In Europe, the wind business is booming, but growing concern about safety could put a crimp in the growing industry.

March 25, 2011 - Climate Adaptation

Environmental Justice Advocates Deal Major Setback To AB 32

Environmental justice advocates have been able to do in court what oil companies unsuccessfully attempted at the polls in November: deal a severe blow, if only temporarily, to CA's landmark climate law AB 32 by challenging the cap & trade provision.

March 24, 2011 - San Francisco Chronicle

Blame Climate Not Politicians for Weather-Beaten Cities

Extreme weather events have had big city mayors across the world scrambling to clean up messes and prove their cities aren't falling apart. But the real issue is the climate, not the politics.

December 30, 2010 - The Atlantic

How Cities Can Survive Rising Temperatures

Temperatures are warming all over the planet. The new book "Climatopolis" looks at what cities can do to survive.

December 23, 2010 - IEEE Spectrum

Encouraging Low Carbon Cities

Controlling carbon emissions hinges on encouraging cities that have small carbon footprints, writes Matthew E. Kahn.

December 17, 2010 - World Policy Blog

Local Govts. Step to the Plate on Climate Change

With politics tangling up action on the Federal level, cities and local governments are adopting climate action plans to combat global warming. Smart growth is high on the list of action items.

December 14, 2010 - Lincoln Institute of Land Policy blog

Do Rainforests Grow on Money?

In an effort to halt the destruction of rainforests, increasing amounts of money are being offered to countries for preservation efforts. But some wonder whether throwing money at the problem will yield a solution.

December 11, 2010 - Der Spiegel

When in Doubt, Adapt

Bjorn Lomburg argues that cities should not despair over rising sea levels climate change. Instead, they should adapt.

November 18, 2010 - The Washington Post

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

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.