Climate Change
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.
How Urban Sprawl Came To Dominate U.S. Cities—And How To Change That
The auto-centric development patterns of American cities are a result of decades of misguided, but reversible, policy decisions.
Coastal Tribes Facing Numerous Existential Threats From Climate Change
From Alaska to Washington, climate change is real, and it’s here now, for indigenous tribes.
Chicago Updating its Climate Action Plan for 2022
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Earth Day announced the forthcoming release of a new plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare communities for the effects of climate change.
Report: The West Is the Worst for Air Quality
Thanks to longer fire seasons and increasingly intense blazes, Western states are experiencing the nation’s worst air quality.
How Renewable Projects Are Threatening a Crucial Carbon Sink
The sprawling Mojave Desert plays a key role in carbon sequestration, storing around 10 percent of California’s carbon. But the fragile ecosystem is threatened by large-scale renewable energy projects.
A Somber Earth Day Finding
Polling from CBS News/YouGuv shows an inverse relationship between the economy and the environment. A year ago, 56% of respondents rated climate change as an urgent issue. Today's Earth Day finding shows it at 49% as doubts grow about the economy.
Climate Change Increasingly a Risk to the Country's Most Endangered Rivers
Conservation advocacy group American Rivers has ranked the Colorado River, ravaged by drought and mismanagement, as the most endangered river in the United States.
The Net Zero Building Boom Is Ready to Scale
While the cultural and infrastructural changes necessary to eliminate carbon emissions from the transportation sector still seem far-fetched, scaling up a net zero building boom is “eminently possible.”
The Urgent Need for Climate Action Includes Land Use Reforms, IPCC Report Says
The United Nations International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its latest report earlier this week, sounding the alarm that time is running out to make the changes that can prevent the worst outcomes of climate change.
Utah Valleys Square Off in an Old-Fashioned Water War
The Central Iron County Water Conservancy District wants new sources of water so communities in the Cedar Valley in Utah can continue to grow. It's a story as old as the American West.
Study: How California Can Shift Away From Car-Oriented Development
While the state continues to rely on driving as a primary means of transportation, fighting climate change and the worsening housing crisis means implementing policies that encourage infill development, higher density, and public transit.
Mapping Biodiversity Risk
A partnership of researchers has created the most detailed map yet of the places where biodiversity is most at risk in the United States.
What Is CEQA?
Designed to assess the environmental impacts of new projects and provide mitigation measures, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) has a controversial history, sometimes serving as a convenient tool for groups intent on stopping or slowing development.
Industry Continues to Push Back Against Carbon-Slashing Building Codes
The battle over the efficiencies and infrastructure required in building codes continues.
Wastewater System Upgrade Plans Already Out of Date
Some Midwest cities' plans to upgrade decades-old sewer systems rely on outdated rainfall predictions as flood risks grow due to climate change and shifting weather patterns.
Rental Housing at Risk From Environmental Hazards
From wildfires to hurricanes, environmental risks pose a threat to around 40 percent of U.S. rental units.
How Cities Can Curb Climate Change and Protect Vulnerable Residents
A new U.N. report urges cities to upgrade their infrastructure to bolster climate resilience and build more sustainable, climate-friendly places.
Building Safety, Climate Change, and Equity
A Portland coalition is drawing attention to the disproportionate impacts of unsafe and inefficient housing on low-income households and pushing for legislation that would mandate building improvements and tenant protections.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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.
