Environment
Oregon Proposed 'Cap and Invest' Bill, Explained
Oregon legislators are hard at work on two new "cap and invest" bills that would establish a "market-based, carrot-and-stick approach to reducing greenhouse gas pollution."
What's a Climate Action Plan if it Has No Teeth?
The city of Pasadena has released its draft Climate Action Plan, but how will the city achieve an 83 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions if the plan sets no mandates?
LEDs Are Worth 160 Coal Plants
Some hate the way LEDs light up the public realm, but if you're trying to reduce carbon emissions, it's impossible to ignore the achievements of LED light bulbs.
The East Coast's 'Bomb Cyclone' and Climate Change
When President Trump tweeted that the East Coast needed global warming due to the freezing cold, experts responded by explaining the difference between weather and climate. But climate change may indeed be a cause of the bomb cyclone.
Despite Bipartisan Opposition, Trump Administration Opens Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling
In a major blow to former President Obama's restrictions on offshore drilling in sensitive areas, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke announced that he would open the Outer Continental Shelf in four regions: Pacific, Arctic, Atlantic, and the Gulf Coast.
'Tall Timber' May Be the Future of Building
Mass timber is a major structural element of an increasing number of skyscrapers, according to a CTBUH survey; now, the fire codes just have to follow.
Scott Pruitt and the 'Paradigm Shift' at Trump's EPA
In just his first year, the high-profile and controversial cabinet member “has begun to dismantle former president Barack Obama’s environmental legacy.”
Hawaii Cities Commit to Fully Renewable Ground Transportation by 2045
Mayors and civic leaders from across the Hawaiian islands signed a commitment to target 100 percent renewable ground transportation by 2045, both public and private.
Lessons Two and Three From the California Fires
The second and third parts in resiliency expert Dave Hampton's 3-part series on what the California fires teach us about preparing for climate change.
How the West Got Bigger, Badder Fires
Two new books chronicle the origin of U.S. policy on wildfire, the damage that policy has done, and why it’s unlikely to change any time soon.
More on those Freeway-Adjacent Affordable Housing Developments
The Los Angeles Times follows-up an earlier article on the dangers of building too close to freeways. It's a trade-off that the California Air Resources Board acknowledged last April with new guidelines that recognize the dire need for housing.
After the Drought, San Diego Faces Lead and Sewage
In 2017, the Southern California city no longer had to be concerned about water quantity, but was plagued by issues of water quality.
Texan Offers Very Texan Plan for the Coast of Texas
In a new book, lawyer Jim Blackburn suggests that engaging private landowners is the only way to manage the coast of his home state.
Esri's Jack and Laura Dangermond Make Massive Land Conservation Gift
The Nature Conservancy's largest ever gift will preserve 24,000 acres of highly prized land in California. Jack and Laura Dangermond (cofounders of Esri) made the donation.
2017 Set a New Precedent for Natural Disasters
Floods, hurricanes, wildfires, drought, freezes, and tornadoes—the list of disasters that struck the United States this year covers every corner of the country.
Movement Toward Mileage Fee Gains Momentum in U.K. with Truck Fee
British trucker calls for a level playing field with 'continental trucks' that may pay no diesel duty is one impetus for the vehicle miles traveled fee that would also consider emissions. The Transport Department stresses it would not apply to cars.
10 Stats That Explain the World in 2017
Looking for lessons about 2017?
An Early Look at Louisiana's 'Strategic Adaptations for Future Environments' Plan
The state of Louisiana could be the first state to adopt a massive plan to push residents out of coastal areas threatened by sea level rise and coastal erosion. More states are expected to follow Louisiana's lead.
Climate Change Lesson Number One from the California Fires
Whether climate change 'caused' the California fires is a red herring, argues disaster resiliency expert Dave Hampton, in this first part in a series on lessons from the California fires about climate change.
Pigeon Spikes…on Trees
A developer in Bristol installed pigeon spikes on trees to keep bird droppings off cars.
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.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
