Environment
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Advocates call for $650M in federal funds to curb food waste in states, cities
Atlanta, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Madison, WI are among the groups calling for annual investments through at least 2030 for food waste diversion infrastructure and other strategies.
By Maria Rachal • April 08, 2021 -
Opinion
US building codes need a major retrofit to meet climate goals and spare consumers
The International Code Council, which recently rolled back local governments' say in energy efficiency regulations for buildings, needs to adapt to the times or step aside, writes Energy Innovation's Sara Baldwin.
By Sara Baldwin • April 07, 2021 -
Permission granted by First Solar
Local governments set record for new renewable energy procurement in 2020, groups report
Transactions last year grew renewable capacity 23% from 2019's totals, according to World Resources Institute and Rocky Mountain Institute data.
By Chris Teale • April 05, 2021 -
Retrieved from Twitter.
How the American Jobs Plan aims to shape 4 pillars of city infrastructure
The administration's package looks to inject billions of dollars into the country's digital infrastructure, water, transportation and housing needs, with emphasis on racial equity and climate resilience.
By Smart Cities Dive Team • April 01, 2021 -
Retrieved from U.S. Department of Agriculture.
LA, Philadelphia and DC compost leaders look to better leverage city park sites
As municipally supported composting grows in some parts of the country, panelists at a U.S. Composting Council event discussed solutions to common roadblocks in using parklands for such programs.
By Maria Rachal • March 31, 2021 -
Few mayors expect to keep COVID-inspired changes to public spaces, survey finds
The Menino Survey of Mayors found that although leaders predict residents will spend more time outside, only 6% of mayors plan to keep recent changes to those spaces like closed roads and new bike lanes.
By Chris Teale • March 31, 2021 -
Permission granted by Fermata Energy
New coalition calls on Biden admin to prioritize electrified transportation
CHARGE, a group of 37 organizations, is urging EV charging infrastructure be especially deployed in communities traditionally underserved by transportation or that have struggled with pollution burdens.
By Chris Teale • March 25, 2021 -
"Jogger Crosses Empty New York City Street During COVID19 Quarantine" by Anthony Quintano is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Roundup: What driver and pedestrian behavior looked like in 2020
The pandemic year saw fewer drivers on the road, reducing congestion. But motorists traveled at higher average speeds, and vehicle-related and pedestrian fatalities soared, according to reports.
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Permission granted by Gehl
Community-led design of public spaces could have 'ripple effect' in COVID recovery: report
Analysis of public spaces in Detroit; Philadelphia; San Jose, CA; and Akron, OH by the Knight Foundation and design firm Gehl found successful and resilient programming could have long-term effects after the pandemic.
By Chris Teale • March 24, 2021 -
Record wildfires upend lockdown-driven air quality gains
The United States was home to 77 of the world's 100 most polluted cities at one point last year, even as some parts of the world reaped the benefits of lower motor vehicle emissions amid the pandemic.
By Maria Rachal • March 18, 2021 -
Retrieved from Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
DOE to spend billions on electric vehicle R&D in jobs fight with China
President Biden's administration is tackling transportation electrification in part to prevent China from cornering a $23 trillion market in carbon-reducing tech, according to Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm.
By Robert Walton • March 11, 2021 -
Pittsburgh applies equity lens amid push to plant 100K trees
The "Equitable Street Tree Investment Strategy" aims to improve tree maintenance in low-income and Black neighborhoods, as the city also works to increase its canopy to 60% by 2030.
By Maria Rachal • March 08, 2021 -
Permission granted by Courtesy of JBG SMITH
Q&ANational Landing BID head explains 'most connected downtown' design
President and Executive Director Tracy Sayegh Gabriel said the Northern Virginia area, which is undergoing major transformations ahead of the arrival of Amazon's HQ2, has embraced people-centric and sustainable growth.
By Cailin Crowe • March 05, 2021 -
McDonald, Chad. (2016). "Up Up and away" [Photograph]. Retrieved from Flickr.
Resilient Cities Catalyst to tackle California's compounding crises
The group, born out of the 100 Resilient Cities initiative, launched the public-philanthropic California Resilience Partnership to address challenges stemming from racial injustice, climate change and the pandemic.
By Cailin Crowe • Feb. 24, 2021 -
Screenshot via America Is All In
Climate leaders go 'all in' to halve emissions by 2030
The new "America Is All In" coalition of U.S. communities, businesses and institutions, has pledged to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 with support from the federal government.
By Chris Teale • Feb. 22, 2021 -
Residents' climate anecdotes to inform San Diego resilience plan
Following hazard vulnerability assessments, the city is nearing a resilience draft plan focused on wildfires, sea level rise, extreme heat and flooding.
By Maria Rachal • Feb. 19, 2021 -
Danielle Ternes/Smart Cities Dive
Deep DivePower sector experts fight misinformation around Texas outages
Operators will often prepare for peak loads based on historical data, but those forecasts can be less predictable under a changing climate, one expert said.
By Catherine Morehouse • Feb. 18, 2021 -
SonderBruce. (2017). "I-5 southbound traffic approaching Downtown Seattle" [Photograph]. Retrieved from Flickr.
The system of GHG emissions reporting is broken, experts say
As the media points fingers at cities for underreporting carbon emissions, some argue the blame should instead be placed on a lack of guidance.
By Cailin Crowe • Feb. 11, 2021 -
Deep Dive
Lawmakers vs. regulators: The fight over Arizona's zero-emissions mandate
Conservatives say the Arizona Corporation Commission's proposed zero-carbon mandate oversteps its constitutional authority while defenders say the legal debate is an excuse to impede the state's climate fight.
By Herman K. Trabish • Feb. 11, 2021 -
Retrieved from Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Senate confirms former North Carolina regulator Regan as head of EPA
Michael Regan had pledged to take a "clean slate" approach when determining how to take on the Clean Power Plan versus the Affordable Clean Energy Act.
By Catherine Morehouse • UPDATED: March 11, 2021 at 8:58 a.m. -
Natacha Kiler
US could derail decarbonization without equitable policies: report
Decarbonization is technically and financially feasible, but government must ensure the coming economic transition is just and fair to all, experts said.
By Emma Penrod • Feb. 04, 2021 -
Boston kicks off community choice electricity program, aiming to surpass state's renewables requirement
Starting Monday, the Massachusetts capital becomes a key East Coast adopter of a locally-driven utility model championed in major California and Ohio cities — its latest effort toward achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
By Maria Rachal • UPDATED: Feb. 2, 2021 at 2:44 p.m. -
gapersblock. (2011). "*Zoup*" [Photograph]. Retrieved from Flickr.
Q&ANew SUMC CEO ponders mobility sector's 'moment of inflection'
Benjamin de la Peña, who recently became CEO of the Shared-Use Mobility Center, discussed pandemic-fueled mobility opportunities and his unfinished business as the Seattle DOT's former innovation chief.
By Cailin Crowe • Jan. 28, 2021 -
Retrieved from The White House/YouTube on January 21, 2021
Biden orders aim to achieve 100% clean electricity by 2035
In total, the president signed three executive orders all aimed at placing the climate crisis at the center of his administration.
By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 28, 2021 -
Kendall Davis/Industry Dive/Smart Cities Dive, data from Marc Nozell
Biden's Day One actions signal hope for climate, energy sectors
President Joe Biden marked his first day in office by taking steps to rejoin the Paris climate accord, along with signing a flurry of executive orders.
By Catherine Morehouse • Jan. 21, 2021
