Greenhouse Gas Emissions

View of Pennsylvania state capitol building with historical plaque in foreground.

Trump Administration Unfreezes Pennsylvania Climate Funding Amidst Lawsuits

Funding for air and water quality programs still at risk.

March 3, 2025 - Inside Climate News

View of Los Angeles skyline at sunrise with yellow and green trees in foreground

LA’s Trees Absorb More Carbon Than Expected, But Can’t Do It Alone

A USC study finds that Los Angeles’ urban trees absorb more carbon than expected, but while they provide crucial environmental benefits, they cannot replace the urgent need for systemic emissions reductions.

February 28, 2025 - Phys.org

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

California Bills Would Rein in Data Centers’ Energy Use

A series of proposed bills seeks to limit ratepayer increases and ensure data centers report their energy usage and electricity sources.

February 20, 2025 - CALmatters

Aerial view of Bayway refinery in Elizabeth City, New Jersey.

New Jersey to Consider Charging Fossil Fuel Companies for Pollution

A proposed law would make companies liable for damages caused by burning fossil fuels.

December 18, 2024 - Fast Company

Haleakala National Park entrance sign in Maui, Hawaii.

Hawai'i Researchers Tackle Climate Challenges in National Parks

University of Hawaiʻi researchers are using advanced remote sensing technologies to protect cultural resources in five Hawaiʻi national parks from climate change impacts while training students in cutting-edge environmental science techniques.

November 24, 2024 - University of Hawai'i News

View of cars in traffic from behind with visible tailpipe emissions

Report: 14 States Increased Per-Capita Carbon Emissions

Many of the states on the list are red-leaning states that fought against federal environmental reporting regulations.

November 20, 2024 - Streetsblog USA

Close-up of pipe labeled with yellow and black Natural Gas sticker.

Louisiana Planning Massive ‘Mystery’ Data Center

The center would be powered by a new, 1,500-megawatt natural gas plant, which critics say will drive up emissions and contribute negatively to the region’s air quality.

November 19, 2024 - Floodlight

Close-up of charging port on yellow electric school bus plugged in at charging station.

Opinion: Supporting Electric School Buses is the Right Thing to Do — and Fiscally Conservative

Why switching school bus fleets to electric vehicles is good for students, the environment, and school districts’ finances.

November 14, 2024 - Governing

Two-lane rural road with stoplights hanging above roadway and construction visible in distance.

Report: Some Rural States Ahead of More Urbanized Ones in Reducing Transportation Emissions

This is a largely unintended consequence of states with lower populations and resources focusing on repairing existing roads and infrastructure rather than expanding and building new roads.

November 14, 2024 - Bloomberg CityLab

View of Washington state capitol dome in Olympia, Washington at golden hour.

Washington Voters Keep Carbon Tax

An initiative that would have ended the state’s “cap and invest” program failed, leaving the program in place.

November 12, 2024 - Governing

Gaslamp Quarter

America’s 10 ‘Greenest’ Cities

A new analysis ranks cities based on their environmental quality, energy consumption and production, transportation, density, and other factors.

October 28, 2024 - The Street

Man in black and red jacket using backpack-mounted leaf blower on large pile of brown leaves.

Baltimore Bans Gas Leafblowers

The devices release as much air pollution as driving 1,100 miles and have been banned in over 100 U.S. cities.

October 17, 2024 - The Cool Down

Sign for low emissions zone in downtown Madrid, Spain.

Madrid Uses Transit System for Parcel Delivery to Cut Emissions

A new pilot program uses trains to deliver packages at off-peak hours, lowering emissions from trucks.

September 19, 2024 - Global Railway Review

Aerial view of cooling towers on data center roof.

Data Center Emissions Far Outpace Tech Company Claims

In-house data centers owned by several major tech companies likely produce over six times as many greenhouse gas emissions as their owners estimate.

September 18, 2024 - The Guardian

Close-up of food waste inside a black plastic compost bin.

Massachusetts Has the Nation’s Only Successful Food Waste Ban

The state has reduced its methane emissions by 25.7 percent per ton of waste following a law that seeks to eliminate food waste from landfills.

September 13, 2024 - Fast Company

Natural gas power plant with two tall smokestacks against blue and purple sunset sky

Power Plants: A Win for the EPA

New rules from the US Environmental Protection Agency to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants survived an attempt by 25 Republican-led states to block their implementation while their case is litigated.

July 22, 2024 - Irvin Dawid

Aerial view of wide roadway and arc bridge in Denver, Colorado.

Colorado Requires DOT to Reduce Emissions. Is it Working?

A new rule calling for emissions reduction plans as part of highway projects has led to two canceled road expansions and a shift toward greener transportation investments.

July 19, 2024 - MSN

Close-up of hand holding EV charger charging car with brick three-story house in background.

The Case for EVs in Rural Areas

Many rural households could benefit from the cost savings of electric cars for everyday trips.

July 11, 2024 - CleanTechnica

Honolulu public bus.

Youth Activists Secure Landmark Climate Agreement for Zero Emissions in Hawaii

The unprecedented climate settlement compels the state's transportation department to achieve zero emissions by 2045, marking a significant victory for climate justice and constitutional rights.

July 8, 2024 - The Guardian

View from 35th floor of building of freeway in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Minnesota Law Calls for Climate Impact Assessment for Highway Projects

The state’s department of transportation will have to consider potential greenhouse gas emissions and alter projects that don’t meet emissions reduction targets.

July 1, 2024 - Star Tribune

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.