Decarbonization

Navajo Leaders: Renewable Energy Transition Must Account for Equity
Native American leaders in the Southwest want to ensure their communities have a voice, and an opportunity for well-paying jobs, in renewable energy projects on Native land.

Sustainability Advocates Reject USPS Electrification Plan
Critics say the Postal Service's argument for its weak commitment to electrifying its vehicle fleet doesn't hold water.

Climate Change Law: A Primer for Cities
A report from the Sabin Center provides a legal framework for municipal-level action on climate change policy.

The Climate One-Two Punch
Like a boxer, cities are wielding their one-two punch in the fight against climate change. One punch aims to protect people from the oppressive heat, while the second punch strikes at the source of global warming by reducing overall GHG emissions.

Opinion: Replacing Nuclear Plants Amounts to 'Treadmill Decarbonization'
Shutting down one form of clean energy with plans to replace it with another keeps us running in place, or worse, falling behind on decarbonization goals.

The Biden Administration's Ambiguous Position on Drilling in Alaska
The administration's support of a Conoco-Phillips project is at odds with its suspension of Trump-era oil leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Decarbonizing Transportation at the Federal Level
A new report shows that long-term federal investments in electric vehicles could promote significant growth in the sector as the nation moves toward reducing GHG emissions.

Empowering Architects to Reduce Carbon Emissions
Stephanie Carlisle, a principal at Philadelphia architecture firm KieranTimberlake, discusses the need for a toolkit of decarbonization strategies that designers can use for all design efforts, "not just the fancy projects or the unique projects."

Santa Monica Designs Greenest Municipal Building in the World
Amber Richane, Project Manager for the city of Santa Monica's new City Services Building, on the city's commitment to building the world's most sustainable public building.
Electric Pickup Truck Manufacturer Scores Huge 'Climate' Order from Amazon
To show his company's commitment to becoming carbon neutral by 2040, Jeff Bezos announced Thursday that Amazon would purchase 100,000 battery-electric delivery vans from Michigan-based Rivian. The trucks will begin service in 2021.

California Takes Step Toward Replacing Gas with Electricity in Buildings
Two weeks after Berkeley became the nation's first city to outlaw natural gas lines in new buildings, the California Public Utilities Commission voted to update an old regulation to allow funding for 'fuel switching' from gas to electric appliances.

Another Berkeley 'First': Banning Natural Gas Lines in New Buildings
On Tuesday night, the City Council of Berkeley, Calif., unanimously voted to ban natural gas infrastructure from new buildings starting next year, the first city in the U.S. to pass such an ordinance. Fifty cities in the state could be next.

California's Push to Electrify Its Building Stock
Developers, environmentalists, and other experts discussed the challenge of achieving all-electric homes and businesses at VerdeXchange 2019.

Taking the Carbon Emissions Out of Buildings
Much of the focus on decreasing carbon emissions is on the electrical grid and vehicles. But, buildings are a huge contributor, and California is leading the way in making electrification a priority.

U.S. Carbon Emissions Increased Last Year After a Three-Year Decline
The sobering news comes from the Rhodium Group, a research firm that tracks CO2 emissions. The preliminary estimate is the third in two months to show an increase in 2018, attributing it to an improved economy and Trump's regulation rollbacks.

The Search for a New Green Building Standard
The need to slash emissions from buildings is increasingly urgent, and critics say LEED won't get us there.

State-Level Decarbonization Lags Behind
With Donald Trump in office, the struggle against climate change may be up to the states. But are even the greenest states doing enough, especially as they continue shuttering nuclear plants?
The Truth Behind Decarbonizing
Brad Plumer examines the global need to abate climate change amidst a new report showing carbon emission reductions being claimed by countries around the world can be deceiving.
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.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service