Decarbonization

Red and silver Muni trolley bus connected to overhead wires on San Francisco street

Report: Trolley Buses Best Zero-Emissions Option for San Francisco

To decarbonize its bus system, a new study recommends adding more substantial battery packs to the city’s historic—and all-electric—trolley bus fleet rather than replacing trolley buses with electric buses that require lengthy charging periods.

July 18, 2023 - Streetsblog San Francisco

Green trees reflected in high-rise skyscrapers.

‘Biourbanism’ Combines Nature and Data to Boost Resilience

The concept of biourbanism views cities as natural systems, but brings a data-driven approach to quantifying and mitigating the impacts of climate change.

June 1, 2023 - Bloomberg CityLab

Rendering of grey convertible electric Hummer charging at a charging station against a sunset sky

Electric Car Batteries Spark Weight Concerns

A federal transportation official is warning that electric vehicle batteries, which can weigh thousands of pounds and make cars much heavier than their gas-powered counterparts.

January 16, 2023 - NPR

London Bikes

Active and Micro Mobility Modes Can Provide Cost-Effective Emission Reductions–If We Let Them

What role can active and micro modes (walking, bicycling, e-bikes and their variants) play in reducing emissions? Far more than most current emission reduction plans will achieve. We can do better!

December 13, 2022 - Todd Litman

View looking up at multi-story building on commercial street in Bethesda, Maryland

Montgomery County To Require Decarbonized New Construction

Under a new bill, most new buildings will be banned from using natural gas in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and shift to all-electric power.

December 1, 2022 - DCist

Solar panels in a green field

U.S. Renewables To Outpace Coal and Nuclear in 2022

The production of renewable energy in the United States is on track to surpass other energy sources this year, but the nation must maintain record high production levels to meet its climate goals.

November 28, 2022 - Scientific American

Aerial photo of the US 131/M-6/68th St. interchange in Wyoming, MIchigan

Op-Ed: Michigan Needs a New Transportation Strategy

One writer calls on the state to stop expanding roads and channel funding to projects that support Michigan’s sustainability goals.

October 17, 2022 - Bridge Michigan

Worker performing maintenance work on the Brooklyn Bridge, New York City

Feds Release $60 Billion for Roads, Bridges, and Carbon Reduction

The funding comes from last year’s infrastructure law and will be distributed among the states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

October 12, 2022 - The Hill

3D rendering of a hydrogen storage facility with wind turbines in background

Energy Department Resumes Loan Program with Hydrogen Storage

The Energy Department's loan office, known for a bad loan to the solar panel startup Solyndra in 2011, will loan $504 million to a company that will use renewable energy to create 'green hydrogen' and store it in salt caverns in Utah.

June 21, 2022 - U.S. Department of Energy

Electric Cars

To Fight ‘Range Anxiety,’ Oregon To Invest $100 Million in Electric Vehicle Charging

The Oregon Department of Transportation plans to install EV chargers along crucial transportation corridors and expand charging options around the state to encourage more Oregonians to buy electric vehicles.

May 10, 2022 - KTVZ

Environmentalism

Has the Rug Been Pulled Out From Under Environmentalists?

Robinson Meyer, a climate reporter for The Atlantic, writes about the awkward place American environmentalists find themselves due in part to the war in Europe that has created an international energy crisis and historically high fuel prices at home.

May 6, 2022 - The Atlantic

Los Angeles Traffic - The Newhall Pass

Report: United States Could Cut Transport Emissions by 34 Percent by 2030

The U.S. transportation sector is on track to reduce emissions by 19 percent by the end of the decade, but a new report indicates the public and private sectors could implement policies that would cut emissions by as much as 34 percent.

May 3, 2022 - Smart Cities Dive

Electric Car Charging Stencil

EV Charging Stations Gaining Ground

High gas prices are prompting more cities to invest in electric car charging infrastructure.

March 23, 2022 - The Bakersfield Californian

Downtown Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati To Electrify Municipal Fleet by 2035

The city of Cincinnati will beef up its efforts to shift to renewable energy starting next week with electric police cars, fire trucks, and other city vehicles.

March 18, 2022 - Cincinnati.com

Washington D.C. Protest

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.

March 3, 2022 - Wired

Electric Car Charging Stencil

'Charging as a Service' Could Accelerate Decarbonization

The proliferation of private EV charging services, coupled with federal investment in charging stations, has the potential to reduce 'charging anxiety' and encourage a faster switch to electric vehicles.

February 22, 2022 - Forbes

Mail delivery trucks in the parking lot at the United States Postal Service (USPS) main post office and distribution facility at 715 NW Hoyt Street in Portland, Oregon.

USPS Says It Needs More Money To Electrify Fleet

The agency claims the federal government isn't providing enough funding to switch more of its delivery trucks to electric vehicles.

February 17, 2022 - Gizmodo

Electric Cars

Challenges to Electrifying City Fleets

Shifting municipal fleets to electric vehicles poses some challenges, but cities can take steps today to prepare for an easier transition to an electric future.

February 10, 2022 - Route Fifty

Solar Installation

Grid Operator Calls for Two-Year Pause on Solar Projects, Citing Massive Backlog

The largest grid operator in the U.S. is asking for a new approvals process and two-year delay on current applications to ease the logjam of primarily solar projects in its queue.

February 8, 2022 - Inside Climate News

Electric Cars

How Dealership Laws Hinder EV Sales

Laws designed to protect car dealers against price competition from car manufacturers are, in many states, preventing electric car makers from selling directly to consumers.

February 6, 2022 - The Atlantic

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.