Resilience

Downtown Los Angeles viewed from Echo Park with lake with artesian fountain in foreground.

A Sustainable Future for LA: Updating the OurCounty Plan

Los Angeles County is updating its Sustainability Plan to refine its vision for climate action, environmental justice, and community well-being, with residents encouraged to participate by taking the OurCounty 2025 Update Community Survey.

February 19, 2025 - Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability Office

Brick "USC University of Southenr California"  sign at entrance to campus

Sustainability Expert Becomes Dean of USC’s School of Public Policy

Chris Boone, a sustainability leader, becomes dean of the USC Price School of Public Policy, where he aims to advance interdisciplinary solutions and sustainability initiatives while building on the school’s legacy of public policy leadership.

February 17, 2025 - USC Today

Los Angeles, California skyline against mountains at sunset.

Building Resilient Communities: Insights from the LA County Cities Summit

The Los Angeles County Cities Summit convened local leaders to share strategies for advancing sustainability, addressing climate resilience, extreme heat, and other pressing environmental challenges through policy and community-driven solutions.

February 14, 2025 - Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability Office

View of brick buildings and One World Trade Center building and New York City skyline.

Is the Urban Form Sustainable?

One author offers a framework for resilience that rethinks common assumptions about the inevitability of cities as we know them.

January 28, 2025 - Next City

Tall power line towers with blurred city lights in background.

How Microgrids Can Boost Community Resilience

Localized power grids, sometimes sourced from renewable sources, can make energy systems more resilient and reliable.

January 24, 2025 - Reasons to Be Cheerful

Emergency personnel responding to Post Fire in Los Angeles in June 2024.

Rebuilding After Disaster: The Role of Social Connections in Resilience

Dr. Lucy Jones emphasizes that resilience in the face of climate-driven disasters like wildfires relies on building strong social connections, which empower communities to recover and adapt to an increasingly challenging future.

January 13, 2025 - Los Angeles Times

Sun seen through red wildfire sky and smoke.

Key Climate and Health Issues to Watch in 2025

The escalating health impacts of climate change, from extreme heat to sea level rise, highlight the urgent need for integrated medical education, proactive communication, and sustainable policy solutions to protect public health.

January 13, 2025 - Association of Health Care Journalists

Radical Hotel in Asheville, North Carolina before Hurricane Helene.

Post-Helene Reflections on Solastalgia and Community

Solastalgia is an increasingly relevant word that refers to the homesickness one feels when still at home, caused by distress due to environmental change in one’s home environment – for example, after a hurricane or wildfire.

January 13, 2025 - April Economides

Low angle view of busy crosswalk with pedestrians and a bike.

Planning Year in Review 2024: An Ongoing Housing Crisis, the Fight for Climate Resilience, and a Mixed Bag for Transportation

A pedestrian safety crisis, rising housing instability, and destructive extreme weather events set the stage for an eventful year.

January 12, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Red, white, and blue sandbags stacked along bridge railing and building doors and windows.

How US Communities Are Building Resilience Against Flooding

Flooding causes over $400 billion in damage in the United States every year.

January 5, 2025 - Governing

Houses on Lake Michigan shore with yellow "Keep Off Rocks" sign.

How US Cities Can Prepare for Climate Disasters

Resilience, encompassing infrastructure, governance, economic strength, and social cohesion, is critical for cities to mitigate rising climate risks like flooding, wildfires, and heat, ensuring long-term recovery and adaptability.

December 24, 2024 - The Washington Post

Denver, Colorado skyline with green lawn in the foreground.

Denver Plans to Update Landscaping Regulations

The city will change its landscaping rules to prohibit “non-functional turf” and encourage native and climate-resilient vegetation.

December 19, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Aerial view of harbor with modern buildings in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Retrofitting Old Cities for Sustainability

Explore strategies for retrofitting old cities to enhance sustainability while preserving historical integrity and managing logistical challenges.

December 15, 2024 - Devin Partida

Dense informal settlement on steep hillside in Brazil.

Housing as a Climate Resilience Strategy

Ensuring that housing, including in informal settlements, is safe and healthy for its residents is a key tool in the fight to build more sustainable and equitable communities in the face of climate migration.

December 11, 2024 - Time Magazine

City park with paved walkway, green trees, and people sitting on lawn.

Global Report Shows Urban Forests Failing to Meet Vital Standards

The study reveals significant gaps in urban forestry, emphasizing the urgent need for reforms, innovative planting solutions, and expanded tree canopy to combat climate change and improve urban health.

December 9, 2024 - The Conversation

View of snowy buildings and mountains in background in Denver, Colorado.

Federal Resilience Program a Lifeline for Affordable Housing Providers

The little-known Green and Resilient Retrofit Program funds upgrades and repairs that improve efficiency and comfort in existing housing stock.

December 6, 2024 - Next City

"Restoration in progress" sign in the wetlands in Alviso Marsh, Don Edwards wildlife refuge, south San Francisco Bay, California.

Nature-Based Solutions for Sustainable Climate Action

These solutions offer cost-effective, sustainable methods to combat climate change, but require government action to reallocate subsidies, integrate natural assets into financial systems, and develop biodiversity credit markets.

November 27, 2024 - The Conversation

Row of blue electric buses parked and plugged in at charging station.

USDOT Launches Climate Adaptation Plan

The plan outlines the department’s key priorities in building resilient infrastructure and ensuring environmental justice in historically disinvested communities.

November 25, 2024 - Global Railway Review

Row of homes in Durango, Colorado covered in snow.

Colorado Launches New Efficiency and Weatherization Rebate Program

The state is using federal funds to assist homeowners in replacing inefficient appliances and making their homes more climate-friendly and resilient.

November 4, 2024 - Colorado Public Radio

Construction workers in orange vests and white hard hats installing concrete curb.

Rebuilding America's Backbone: A Call for Resilient Infrastructure

How sustainable investments in infrastructure made today can secure the future.

November 3, 2024 - Maria Lehman

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.