Global Warming
Simple Steps to Climate Resilience
Kaid Benfield highlights nine low-tech steps that he recommends can help communities prepare for the coming changes in global climate.
Coming Soon to a Low-Lying Coastal Area Near You: Disastrous Flooding
ScienceDaily reports on a new study by researchers from Princeton University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology which shows that what used to be considered a 'Storm of the Century' may soon become a 'Storm of the Decade.'
Simple, Inexpensive Measures Identified to Reduce Global Warming
A new study produced by an international team of scientists focuses on efforts to reduce the production of two shorter-term pollutants, rather than carbon dioxide, that drive climate change.
How the Suburbs Killed Our Connectivity, And How to Fix It
The deeper our sense of community, the better positioned we are to take on change, says Scott Doyon, but the leisurely lull of the suburbs may have killed our ability to work together.
White Roofs Don't Slow Global Warming, Says New Study
A recent study published by researchers at Stanford University shows how the heat island effect has little bearing on global warming and how painting roofs white actually may increase temperatures, writes David Malakoff for The Guardian.
Chicago Plans for a Warmer Future
Climate scientists have warned Chicago's planners that the City will be significantly warmer and wetter by the end of theentury. And from street trees to building standards, that message is infiltrating Chicago's planning and design.
Every City For Itself: Adapting to Climate Change
What cities are best prepared for climate change, and which will falter? Josh Stephens reviews Climatopolis: How Our Cities Will Thrive in a Hotter Future by Matthew Kahn.
Renewable Energy Growing Fast, But Still A Tiny Percentage
Renewable energy is still only 2.3% of the U.S. energy production. David Biello asks, can renewables be ramped up in time to combat global warming?
Forward Thinking and Backward Practices
Transportation authorities are working with tools that no longer fit the challenges of modern travel or environmental necessity, says David Kooris, vice president of the Regional Plan Association.
Five Levels of Public Space
HafenCity is a district in Hamburg that is being built with flooding in mind. One way the development prepares for rising waters is having several layers of public space that can be used, creating a model for cities facing global warming.
The Double O's Were the Hottest Years on Record
A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Report published on Wednesday found that the last decade has been the hottest on record, and clearly points to the conclusion that our planet is warming.
Coastal Cities and Climate Change
Anthony Flint looks at how cities around the world are preparing for the predicted rise in sea level due to global warming, and how the Dutch experience with building dikes could be essential.
The Return of Nuclear Power
Pres. Obama has come out in favor of developing more nuclear power plants, and the public is warming up to the idea because of the climate change benefits of switching from coal. Hendrik Hertzberg looks at the politics of atomic power.
Initiative Underway To Suspend California's Global Warming Act
California's Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, or AB 32, is known throughout the U.S. as being the landmark state legislation that addresses climate change. It is the target of an initiative that aims to suspend it unless unemployment drops.
Global Warming? It's All About Land Use
In a new report looking at how cities in the American West can fight global warming, the authors conclude that the best strategy is to focus on economic and energy efficiency through smart growth.
The NIMBY Brain, and the Abstraction of Global Warming
You may have noticed that over the past few years we've learned a lot more about how the brain works. This is mostly due to advances in functional neuroimaging (fMRI), which makes brain scanning much less onerous and dangerous (no radiation involved). Researchers are using this new access to the brain to send it through various puzzles and thoughts and seeing where and how the brain reacts. Josh Greene is an assistant professor at Harvard, and he has used his research to explore questions of moral judgement and decisionmaking. One puzzle he's looked at is called the "Trolley Problem." Here's the setup:
Global Op-Ed Pleads for Deal on Climate Change
In the lead-up to the Copenhagen Conference on climate change, 56 newspapers worldwide have jointly published the same, urgent editorial, warning that the developed and developing nations must reach a deal on climate change.
Could a Saharan Forest End Global Warming?
NASA scientists are floating the idea that turning deserts on the equator into lush forests could single-handedly end global warming.
Emissions Impact of Biofuels Undercounted
A new report claims that the way the global warming impact of biofuels is measured leaves out the land use component of clearing land and growing crops.
The Real Inconvenient Truth: Global Land Use
Global warming is a problem, says climate scientist Jonathan Foley, but it's not the only one. The other major problem facing the global environment is a pattern of land use for agriculture that is grossly unsustainable.
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
