Climate & Resilience: Page

  • A person attempting to fix a van in a flooded street.
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    Long before weather disasters strike, communicating with vulnerable residents is key: report

    Pre-planning and community partnerships prove essential when a hurricane, drought, wildfire or other calamity hits, according to insights recently shared from a National Science Foundation program.

    By Charles Pekow • Oct. 12, 2022
  • Women working in a community garden.
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    Urban agriculture gets city funding in Chicago

    Food insecurity spiked during the pandemic. Some communities, including those in Chicago, see urban agriculture as a long-term aid.

    By Michael Brady • Oct. 4, 2022
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    Trendline

    Top 5 stories from Smart Cities Dive

    From worsening climate change to a shifting transportation landscape and the housing affordability crisis, cities have their work cut out for them.

    By Smart Cities Dive staff
  • A gray four-door crossover vehicle with a woman seated with her hand on the steering wheel is parked in front of a Hertz building.
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    Courtesy of Hertz/GM
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    Massachusetts, Washington confirm plans to end gas car sales by 2035, following California

    State officials detailed their policy plans on Tuesday. Separately, GM announced a big rental EV order and weighed in on federal clean car standards.

    By • Sept. 21, 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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    Saving tomorrow today: Pursuing sustainability measures is a growing priority for agencies

    Saving tomorrow today: Pursuing sustainability measures is a growing priority for agencies

    By Tammy Rimes, MPA • Sept. 20, 2022
  • Los Angeles's downtown skyline enveloped in smog.
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    David McNew via Getty Images
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    California could phase out gas heaters by 2030 to cut smog

    The home and building appliances are “an underappreciated driver of unhealthy air quality in California cities,” non-profit advocates say in a report Tuesday, as state regulators consider only allowing zero-emissions alternatives.

    By Maria Rachal • Sept. 20, 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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    Climate survey by American City & County highlights environmental challenges

    Editor's note: This article was originally published in American City & County, which has merged with Smart Cities Dive to bring you expanded coverage of city innovation and local government. For the latest in smart city news, explore Smart Cities Dive or sign up for our newsletter.As cities ...

    By Andy Castillo • Sept. 19, 2022
  • Mark Majkrzak gives out bottles of water to people in need on Feb. 19, 2021 in, Austin, Texas, in the wake of Winter Storm Uri.
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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    Austin to launch resilience hub network using $3M in ARPA funds

    Citing Texas’ experience with a deadly storm last winter and more climate threats to come, the city plans to stand up community sites with backup water, power and other year-round benefits.

    By Maria Rachal • Sept. 16, 2022
  • An factory worker with an electric car motor on an assembly line.
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    Advanced mobility, mass timber projects chosen in $1B federal regional challenge

    The American Rescue Plan’s $1 billion Build Back Better Regional Challenge will support joint efforts to use mass timber to accelerate affordable housing, spur American manufacturing for advanced mobility, and much more.

    By Maria Rachal • Sept. 9, 2022
  • A view looking down on a multilane highway in Los Angeles with bumper-to-bumper traffic.
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    David McNew via Getty Images
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    California poised to give $1,000 to residents for not owning a car

    California could soon offer an incentive for lower-income households to forgo car ownership on top of an existing reward program for residents to retire their existing vehicles.

    By • Sept. 6, 2022
  • Modern tower buildings or skyscrapers in financial district with cloud on sunny day in Chicago, USA.
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    Arup, startup are building smart city modeling tools to maximize energy efficiency

    With Matidor, the partners seek to help civil engineers see the environmental impact and energy efficiency of what they’re developing in real time.

    By Maria Rachal • Sept. 2, 2022
  • A flooded basement level apartment stands in a Queens neighborhood that saw massive flooding and numerous deaths following a night of heavy wind and rain from the remnants of Hurricane Ida in 2021.
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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    How New York City can make basement apartments safer: reports

    A year after rainfall and subsequent flooding from Hurricane Ida led to 11 deaths of basement residents, a nonprofit and the city comptroller called for safety measures, protections and a pathway to legalize the dwellings.

    By Maria Rachal • Sept. 1, 2022
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    Maria Rachal/Smart Cities Dive
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    Plugging $1B for alternative fuel vehicles, EPA head test-drives electric garbage truck

    Inflation Reduction Act funding will be available “to replace dirty heavy-duty trucks with zero-emission models,” a recent video with EPA Administrator Michael Regan highlighted.

    By Maria Rachal • Aug. 30, 2022
  • A volunteer packs a box of donated food.
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    Jersey City mapping food rescue opportunities

    The pandemic worsened food insecurity. Jersey City’s public works and health and human services departments, focused on reducing waste and boosting access, are working to better map and distribute food resources.

    By Maria Rachal • Aug. 29, 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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    California sets road map to complete ban on gasoline-powered vehicle sales by 2035

    Under the Clean Air Act, 17 states and D.C. can now follow this lead. Massachusetts established a trigger law this month to adopt the regs once California does. Automakers are worried about their ability to meet the timeline.

    By • Aug. 26, 2022
  • Heavy rain creates deep puddles in a neighborhood.
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    Resilient Land Use Cohort to explore climate adaptation strategies

    Urban Land Institute networks and community representatives in five regions will investigate how to best implement resilience hubs, conduct land swaps for homes in flood zones and scale green infrastructure, among other ideas.

    By Maria Rachal • Aug. 25, 2022
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    Drew Angerer via Getty Images
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    NYC’s most critical infrastructure now and for the next 100 years

    The New York Building Congress outlined which rail, road, bridge and other projects will grow the city's economy and help it adapt to climate change.

    By Sebastian Obando • Aug. 24, 2022
  • President Biden signs the Inflation Reduction Act surrounded by members of congress and backed by American flags in the White House.
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    Drew Angerer via Getty Images
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    How cities can prepare for the Inflation Reduction Act’s climate opportunities

    With billions of dollars for energy efficiency upgrades, urban park enhancements and more signed into law this week, experts share tips on how cities can start preparing for funding opportunities now.

    By Maria Rachal • Aug. 19, 2022
  • Buildings in downtown Boston at sunset.
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    Boston aims to eliminate fossil fuels in new buildings

    The city’s chance to set new building standards comes from the climate bill the Massachusetts governor signed last week, which extends that opportunity to 10 municipalities in the state. 

    By Maria Rachal • Aug. 17, 2022
  • The United States Capitol in February 2020
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    Megan Quinn/Smart Cities Dive
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    Support for housing efficiency upgrades, urban parks, drought resilience poised to become law

    With the House sending the Inflation Reduction Act to the president’s desk, some climate leaders say the onus will shift to local governments to execute on key initiatives.

    By Maria Rachal • Aug. 15, 2022
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    Chicago commits to 100% renewable energy at city facilities by 2025

    The clean energy agreement “helps build the market” while encouraging smaller cities and municipalities “to make similar commitments,” said a senior attorney at the Environmental Law & Policy Center.

    By Katie Pyzyk • Aug. 15, 2022
  • Gradient heat pump units showing on the exterior of a residential building.
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    Courtesy of Gradient
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    Q&A

    New York public housing is poised for electric heating and cooling upgrades from a California startup

    Vince Romanin, the CEO of Gradient, discusses the market for heat pumps and a New York City Housing Authority contract to rethink HVAC for residents vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

    By Maria Rachal • Aug. 10, 2022
  • Four city officials standing around an organics recycling bin, with a white sanitation truck in the background
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    Michael Appleton. Retrieved from Flickr.
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    New York City rolling out ‘largest curbside composting program in the nation’ with Queens expansion

    After years of budget cuts and political shifts, the Department of Sanitation says this latest organics recycling iteration will be its most cost-effective and efficient approach yet. Drop-off bins are also being added in other boroughs.

    By Cole Rosengren • Aug. 9, 2022
  • Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) gives the thumbs up as he leaves the Senate Chamber after passage of the Inflation Reduction Act at the U.S. Capitol August 7, 2022 in Washington, DC.
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    Drew Angerer/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Mayors and city leaders voice support for Inflation Reduction Act

    The bill, which passed the Senate on Sunday, represents the largest climate investment in U.S. history and has garnered support from cities seeking to lower greenhouse gas emissions and boost resilience.

    By Danielle McLean • Aug. 9, 2022
  • Buildings in Bethesda, Maryland.
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    Building performance standards momentum slowly grows in the wake of White House efforts

    A Maryland county’s policy represents one of the only major updates so far, but more localities have said they’ll pursue standards. Funds in the Inflation Reduction Act could provide new incentives to decarbonize buildings.

    By Maria Rachal • Aug. 8, 2022
  • United Auto Workers President Ray Curry stands at a podium in an automotive assembly plant under a sign that reads, "A future made in America."
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    Nic Antaya via Getty Images
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    EV manufacturers, regulators debate US ability to hit 50% sales goal by 2030

    The right federal policy and charging infrastructure, as well as solutions to supply chain issues, are critical to meeting the goal of half of new vehicle sales being electric by 2030, said Center for Automotive Research event panelists.

    By • Aug. 3, 2022