World

Global issues, U.N., etc.

Delivery Drone

The Hidden Costs of Drone Delivery

Ultra-fast drone delivery promises convenience, but comes at a high cost for workers, the environment, and public space.

October 11, 2021 - The Conversation

Washington D.C. Protest

Climate Change Expected to Displace 216 Million People by 2050, Report Says

The time to start preparing for mass migration spurred by climate change is already here.

September 30, 2021 - Quartz

Downtown Anchorage with the snow covered Chugach Mountains in the background.

Alaska Activates Crisis Standards of Care

Daily new COVID cases per capita in Alaska are the nation's highest. The crisis standards enable overwhelmed hospitals to ration care. Gov. Mike Dunleavy recognized the crisis yet saw no need to take steps to reduce coronavirus transmission.

September 27, 2021 - The New York Times

Madrid Pedestrian Street

Pedestrian Malls in the 21st Century

The successes and failures of past pedestrian malls can inform the future of pandemic-induced "open streets" programs.

September 26, 2021 - Bloomberg CityLab

On-Street Parking

ITDP's New On-Street Parking Pricing Guidebook

This report explores strategies for efficient and equitable parking management with an emphasis on pricing. These strategies enable cities to reallocate space for bus lanes, bicycle lanes, wider sidewalks, and pickup zones, and generate revenue.

September 22, 2021 - Institute for Transportation and Development Policy

Supertall Residential Towers

Supertall Luxury Residential Towers Reaching New Heights

If you thought residential buildings had reached their maximum potential for livable height, just wait a few years.

September 22, 2021 - Bloomberg BusinessWeek

Hoover Boards and Bus Transit

Toolbox for Mobility Management

The Toolbox for Mobility Management provides easily understandable information and practical advice to those who want to introduce Mobility Management into various institutions including kindergartens, schools, companies and urban developments.

September 21, 2021 - Eltis

The city of Siena in Italy, located on a hillside and bathed in Tuscan sunlight.

Building on Jacobs: The City Emergent; Beyond Streets and Buildings

A science of cities reveals the way cities grow, and why.

September 20, 2021 - Fanis Grammenos

An overhead image of a large wooden building as it's being constructed.

Small Downtown Businesses Adapt to Fewer Office Workers

Businesses that traditionally serve commuters have had to make adjustments to stay in business as remote work empties out central business districts.

September 20, 2021 - Chicago Sun-Times

Climate Change Protest

Searching for Clearer Climate Change Messaging

Although clear climate communication is more important than ever, many people find even basic terminology about climate change confusing, research shows.

September 19, 2021 - NPR

Brooklyn Redevelopment

Study: Market-Rate Development Filters Into Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing

New research sheds new light on one of the most hotly debated questions in planning and development.

September 15, 2021 - Full Stack Economics

Noise

Study Links Transportation Noise to High Rates of Dementia and Alzheimer's

A large nationwide cohort study in Denmark found "transportation noise from road traffic and railways to be associated with an increased risk of all-cause dementia and dementia subtypes, especially Alzheimer’s disease."

September 14, 2021 - The Guardian

Green Building

Sustainable Real Estate Investments Are No Longer Optional

Greenwashing won't cut it anymore, and investors are increasingly demanding that all real estate developments and existing assets be assessed in the most holistic way possible.

September 12, 2021 - Breana Wheeler

California State University, Los Angeles

Public Health Experts Question CDC Catchphrase, 'Pandemic of the Unvaccinated'

Five public health experts and a pollster take issue with calling the COVID crisis a 'pandemic of the unvaccinated,' suggesting it may be inappropriate, provocative, and not only ineffective but possibly counterproductive in increasing vaccinations.

September 9, 2021 - Associated Press

Deer eating an orange on a Banff street

Returning to a Wilder World

The pandemic induced an accidental 'rewilding' in many places as animals took over cities and streets devoid of humans. As we emerge from our isolation, can we co-exist peacefully?

August 25, 2021 - High Country News

Hyperloop

Pneumatic Tube Trains and AVs to the Rescue? Smarter Planning for New Mobility

New mobility modes and services have tantalizing potential, but they can also impose significant costs and risks. We need objective and comprehensive analysis to determine how—and how not—to incorporate these new technologies.

August 24, 2021 - The City Fix

Skinny Skyscraper

Report: Skyscrapers a Driving Factor of the Urban Heat Island Effect

As cities build upwards in an effort to create more housing and increase walkability, research shows that tall buildings intensify heat and contribute to increased carbon emissions.

August 19, 2021 - Grist

Smart City

'A City is Not a Computer:' Why 'Smart Cities' Fail

The 'smart city' concept fails to take into account the necessary slowness of democracy and the unpredictability of a city's human inhabitants.

August 18, 2021 - Fast Company

Natural Resources Conservation Service's Wetlands Reserve Program

How to Fight Climate Change and Increase Resiliency, Naturally

Five actions governments could take quickly to reduce emissions and restore ecosystems.

August 16, 2021 - NRDC

New Mobilities: Smart Planning for Emerging Transportation Technologies

A recent Eno Foundation webinar critically evaluated the benefits, costs, and equity impacts of 12 emerging transportation modes and services. It's a timely and fun discussion. The video and slideshow are available for free.

August 12, 2021 - Webinar: New Mobilities, Smart Planning for Emerging Transportation Technologies

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.