Climate & Resilience: Page 34

  • A photo of a man changing an electric bicycle battery.
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    Austin to double e-bike rebates in 2023

    The city increased the rebates to encourage more people, especially “historically underserved populations,” to buy and use e-bikes, a spokesperson for Austin’s publicly-owned utility said.

    By Michael Brady • Nov. 22, 2022
  • A sidewalk in Tampa, Florida, with embedded solar panels designed to help power traffic lights at an intersection.
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    Permission granted by City of Tampa Mobility Department
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    Tampa tries sidewalk solar panels as backup power for traffic lights

    The Florida city started using solar sidewalks for backup power after 2017’s Hurricane Irma created lengthy power outages at intersections. It assessed the technology's performance this fall during Hurricane Ian.

    By Maria Rachal • Nov. 21, 2022
  • A hand holding a pencil hovers over model buildings and windmills. Explore the Trendline➔
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    Trendline

    Energy Codes and Building Performance Standards

    Cities are using these levers to meet climate goals and address everything from data centers to building decarbonization.

    By Smart Cities Dive staff
  • An aerial view toward downtown Los Angeles with a congested freeway in the foreground.
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    California commits $2.6B to sustainable mobility, prioritizing low-income communities

    Calling the funds the "largest state investment yet" in sustainable transportation, the California Air Resource Board will direct the money to help low-income consumers buy EVs, among other programs.

    By • Nov. 18, 2022
  • Several white cars are seen plugged into a line of electric vehicle chargers.
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    COP27: EV sales strong, but more needed to bring down transportation emissions

    A BloombergNEF report released at COP27 outlines trends for electric vehicles. Meanwhile, at the global climate summit, a coalition of 200 government and private-sector entities committed to accelerating EV adoption. 

    By • Nov. 16, 2022
  • smart city, smart cities
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    The 10 most future-ready cities in North America: report

    Cities must invest more in digital and physical infrastructure to address today’s challenges but face several barriers, including a lack of public trust, a new report finds.

    By Michael Brady • Nov. 15, 2022
  • Close-up of front hood of a gray car from the right side, with an electric vehicle charging cable plugged in to the front of the hood.
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    Drew Angerer via Getty Images
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    Electric vehicle sales rise as registrations jump 57% through September

    Consumers are shifting away from hybrid vehicles to plug-in EVs as manufacturers offer more models. 

    By • Nov. 14, 2022
  • Seen from looking out the left rear window, a car is driving along a two-lane road lined with evergreen trees, leading toward mountains and clouds.
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    EV buyer education campaign launches in Colorado

    Transportation and energy regulators hope a website and educational materials will help bridge the information gap for residents curious about buying, owning and driving an electric vehicle.

    By • Nov. 14, 2022
  • Grass on a rooftop.
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    White House endorses nature-based solutions in first US road map

    The Biden administration said this week’s release in conjunction with COP27 marks the first time the U.S. has developed a strategy to scale up green roofs, rain gardens, urban trees and other green infrastructure.

    By Maria Rachal • Nov. 10, 2022
  • A creative image displaying circular 2022 election pins.
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    Elections 2022

    Election results: How housing, transit, environmental issues fared on state and local ballots

    California’s millionaire tax for EV incentives was defeated, while several affordable housing and climate funding initiatives passed nationwide.

    Nov. 10, 2022
  • The east side of the US Capitol in the early morning. Senate Chamber in the foreground.
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    With control of Congress unknown, clean energy advocates cheer state wins and press for climate action

    So far, it appears Republicans failed to pull off an anticipated “red wave” and Democrats outperformed expectations, analysts say.

    By Robert Walton • Nov. 9, 2022
  • A series of voting booths in a brightly lit room.
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    Climate funding wins big on state and local ballots

    Voters in many jurisdictions embraced spending on resilience projects, clean energy and other climate change mitigation efforts  — with one notable exception.

    By Maria Rachal • Updated Nov. 9, 2022
  • An Amazon delivery van made by Rivian sits in a neighborhood.
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    Courtesy of Amazon
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    Amazon rolls out Rivian EVs in more cities for holiday deliveries

    The company has delivered more than 5 million packages to U.S. customers using the electric vans since July.

    By Max Garland • Nov. 8, 2022
  • Macky Sall, Chairperson of the African Union, speaks during the Sharm El-Sheikh Climate Implementation Summit of the UNFCCC COP27 climate conference.
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    Sean Gallup via Getty Images
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    COP27 to spotlight implementation, finance for climate action

    Even at the global stage, there could be insights on how to best go about decarbonizing U.S. cities from this month’s United Nations climate conference, experts say.

    By Maria Rachal • Nov. 7, 2022
  • RegenX mid-dump regenerative air sweeper
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    Permission granted by Elgin Sweeper
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    Sponsored by Elgin Sweeper

    Hybrid sweepers deliver uncompromised performance

    Elgin Sweeper’s new hybrid sweepers provide uncompromised performance while helping sustainability efforts.

    By Elgin Sweeper • Nov. 7, 2022
  • A photo of several e-scooters lying along a sidewalk.
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    Shared micromobility restrictions can increase traffic congestion and emissions, study finds

    Following Atlanta’s nighttime scooter limits, travel time increased 9% to 11%, Georgia researchers found in a study. 

    By Michael Brady • Nov. 3, 2022
  • A casually dressed business man in New York City renting a bike from a line of shared bikes on a city street.
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    Shared mobility key to urban climate action, city leaders say

    As 200 nations gather for the COP27 international climate summit, city leaders see shared mobility as the path to “making our communities healthier and more livable for everyone.” 

    By • Nov. 2, 2022
  • A detailed landscape design plan showing topographic contour lines, orange building illustrations, green trees, and directional arrows. The layout includes winding paths and clustered vegetation. A triangular scale ruler lies on the left, and three colored pencils, colored blue, green, and yellow, rest on the lower right corner of the page.
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    Local governments can score sustainability points several ways

    Local governments can score sustainability points several ways

    By Michael Keating • Nov. 1, 2022
  • An election judge tears off a couple of "I Voted" stickers to hand to a voter as people cast their ballots in the State Primaries on June 28, 2022 at the Wellington E. Webb Municipal Office Building i
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    Marc Piscotty via Getty Images
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    Elections 2022

    Where voters will consider waste and recycling initiatives

    San Francisco and Denver are among the localities with ballot measures, which range from deciding who should handle street cleaning to establishing more widespread access to composting.

    By Maria Rachal • Nov. 1, 2022
  • An election worker works at the Orange County Registrar of Voters less than two weeks before midterms Election Day on October 27, 2022 in Santa Ana, California.
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    Elections 2022

    Climate action ballot initiatives for Election Day 2022

    Spending for transportation decarbonization, wildfire prevention, storm resilience and more are up for a vote next week in some states.

    By Maria Rachal • Nov. 1, 2022
  • A creative image depicting empty voting booths on election day.
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    Elections 2022

    Housing, transit, environmental issues on state and local ballots

    Residents in 37 states will vote on 132 statewide ballot measures on Nov. 8, according to Ballotpedia. Read our coverage on measures addressing top smart city concerns.

    By Michael Brady • Oct. 31, 2022
  • Cars on snowy roads.
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    Lower speed limits for trucks don’t decrease crash risk in construction zones: report

    Vehicles can get hit from behind or sideswiped when motorists merge in poor weather conditions, a study backed by the U.S. Department of Transportation said.

    By Charles Pekow • Oct. 31, 2022
  • A line of tractor-trailers is seen on a road at the Port of Los Angeles.
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    California moves toward mandating zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles

    To fight air pollution, the California Air Resources Board discussed a proposal to begin requiring government and commercial fleets to purchase cleaner vehicles. A plan could be in place by next year.

    By • Oct. 28, 2022
  • Rain falls on a curb with grass.
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    Boston wants to use curb bump-outs to manage flooding, boost resilience

    Curb extensions must incorporate at least one of five green infrastructure features, from rain gardens to porous paving, to improve water management and reduce environmental impact, according to the proposal.

    By Katie Pyzyk • Oct. 28, 2022
  • An illustration shows several cars parked alongside electric vehicle charges with a large sign in the foreground that reads, "BP pulse gigahub."
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    Courtesy of bp pulse
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    BP and Hertz to build EV fast charging stations across the US

    Ride-hailing drivers, Hertz car renters and the public will be able to charge up at hundreds of locations in the U.S.

    By • Oct. 27, 2022
  • An engineer checks the installation of heat pump on a model house.
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    For equitable building electrification, philanthropy-backed fund puts communities in the driver’s seat

    Who designs the energy transition? As cities work to reduce building emissions and spur clean alternatives, the creators of the Equitable Building Electrification Fund believe that decision-making power needs to shift.

    By Maria Rachal • Oct. 26, 2022