World
Global issues, U.N., etc.

The Top Urban Planning Books of 2020
The public health crisis of the coronavirus pandemic upended all the normal day-today routines this year. At least there are plenty of great urban planning books to read.

Town Building Game Offers Moments of Pandemic Zen
Townscraper, a new "casual town building" game earned good reviews among early adopters this summer.

Street Art Proves the Value of Public Space
Murals do more than bring joy to onlookers. Public art can also be a source of healing, a point of reflection, and a cause for conversation.

From Paris to Portland: The 15-Minute City Goes Mainstream
Raising the bar on the 20-minute neighborhood model, cities around the world are embracing the appeal of the 15-minute city during the coronavirus pandemic.

El Paso Update: 'On the Brink of Disaster'
Among the nation's more populous counties, El Paso continues to suffer the most severe coronavirus outbreak. One out of nearly every 30 residents currently has COVID-19. Four additional mobile morgues, on top of the existing six, have been ordered.

Parametric Modeling for Planning in Uncertain Times
A new technology- and data-drive approach to planning could provide direction as society faces challenges of unprecedented scale.

Election Post-Mortem: Politics Trumps Public Health
An analysis by the Associated Press found that voters in counties that are disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus were far more likely to support President Trump's reelection than voters in less-impacted counties.

Toyota Working on the Smartest City Yet, Built From Scratch
Checking in with Toyota's plans for an interconnected smart "city of the future" means considering how their approach might differ from other attempts at similar projects.

Corona Crisis in America: The Metropolitan Area to Watch
The battle to control the coronavirus in the U.S is being led by 50 governors and the D.C. mayor, but ultimately it is at the local level where decisions are often the most consequential. Among large counties, the crisis is most severe in El Paso.

Urban Link: UN Endorses a Uniform Measure for Urbanization
The Penn Institute for Urban Research's latest issue of Urban Link features Lewis Dijkstra writing on the Degree of Urbanisation, the first global definition of cities, towns and rural areas endorsed by the UN.

EcoLogistics Principles for More Sustainable Urban Freight Transport
The EcoLogistics Community's new EcoLogistics Principles provide guidance for local communities to develop more efficient goods distribution systems, a key component of sustainable urban transportation.

Friday Fun: Top 25 Destinations for Foodies
Readers of Travel + Leisure voted for their the top food destinations. Keep this list in mind for when we can travel more freely.

Considering Transportation Impacts on Well-Being and Livability
The New Zealand Transport Agency’s new report, "Transport Impacts on Wellbeing and Liveability" provides guidance for transportation planning that achieves fairness, neighborliness, respect, community identity, pride, fitness, and health.

North Dakota Physicians Plead for State and Local Leaders to Mandate Masks
The medical community is sounding the alarm in North Dakota, where hospitals are overwhelmed with COVID patients. With the governor opposed to issuing a statewide mask mandate, physicians are asking local governments and the public for help.

Announcing an Antidote for Planning Uncertainty: A Pandemic Tool Kit for Local Governments
A new toolkit shares 22 actions governments should take to get the economy restarted, including the regulatory or policy tools needed to implement the actions.

'Pedestrians First' Measures Walkability for Babies, Toddlers, Caregivers, Everyone
The ITDP's new Pedestrians First tool describes why and how to improve walking conditions, and provides comprehensive analysis of walkability for 1000 cities.

The U.S. Might Soon Be Surpassed in Coronavirus Infections
India could be on track to overtake the United States in the number of COVID-19 cases. The surge is explained by a sharp and growing urban-rural divide in the ability and willingness to follow public health measures.

Envisioning the Post-Pandemic City
The coronavirus has upended urban life, but it also provides an opportunity to look to new and innovative redesign of cities in the future.

A New Study Asserts the Importance of Urban Trees in Conservation Efforts
Data collected from 13 million tree planting records in 473 urban areas across 73 countries provides insight into the role of urban trees in biodiversity conservation.

Improving Media Coverage of Road Collisions
A new set of guidelines will help the media improve the accuracy of traffic safety coverage.
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.
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