Climate & Resilience
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Emergency managers, meteorologists push back against breakup of NCAR climate research center
Dismantling the nation’s premier weather and climate institution would have “a horrible impact on the local level,” says the chair of the International Association of Emergency Managers USA Weather Caucus.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Dec. 19, 2025 -
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Appeals court to reexamine EPA’s power to block climate grants
The D.C. Circuit agreed to rehear a ruling that let the Environmental Protection Agency freeze $20 billion in Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund awards.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Updated Dec. 18, 2025 -
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TrendlineTop 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 -
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NYC congestion zone air pollution measure fell 22% in 6 months
Significant emissions reductions in Manhattan’s tolling zone extended to the wider metropolitan New York City area, a Cornell University study found.
By Dan Zukowski • Dec. 17, 2025 -
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As EPA moves to fast-track data centers, some cities are moving to slow them down
The EPA is streamlining Clean Air Act permitting to accelerate development. Will local communities pay the price?
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Dec. 17, 2025 -
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FEMALocal governments need to step up as FEMA’s future remains uncertain, experts say
The upheaval in emergency management could ultimately strengthen a long-overlooked profession, former FEMA leaders said Monday during a Carnegie Institute panel.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Updated Dec. 16, 2025 -
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FEMAEmergency managers expected direction on FEMA’s future. They got silence instead.
Capping nine months of reduced federal support and legal disputes, the abrupt shutdown of a FEMA review vote Thursday deepens uncertainty around disaster planning, experts say.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Updated Dec. 12, 2025 -
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Climate change is rapidly altering cities. Here’s how some are responding.
As cities heat up, leaders continue to pursue sustainability, panelists at the National League of Cities City Summit said.
By Ryan Kushner • Dec. 10, 2025 -
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Facing extreme rainfall and flooding, NYC is turning Brooklyn’s Prospect Park into a natural buffer
A $68 million Bluebelt system includes drainage upgrades, ponds and rain gardens designed to manage intensifying rainfall while easing pressure on the city’s aging sewer system.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Dec. 8, 2025 -
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House bill barring state, local gas appliance bans clears hurdle
California and Washington are among the states with gas bans, and Washington, D.C., and Montgomery County, Maryland, are among the localities with bans.
By Robert Freedman • Dec. 8, 2025 -
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Sponsored by GAFBuilding storm-ready cities from the top down
GAF and IBHS are helping to address a common challenge: how to build communities to withstand the growing force of severe weather.
Dec. 8, 2025 -
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5 steps to increasing biodiversity in cities
Researchers from the University of Notre Dame analyzed international biodiversity initiatives and developed actionable steps cities can take.
By Ryan Kushner • Dec. 4, 2025 -
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Accelerator aims to strengthen resilience in Austin-San Antonio region
Local governments across Texas’ fastest-growing corridor will build a shared road map to tackle flooding, extreme heat, wildfire and winter storms as population growth amplifies risk.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Updated Dec. 2, 2025 -
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Adaptive reuse projects accelerate, driven by schools, offices
Chicago is leading the nation in conversions, as the pipeline for these projects has increased 19% across the U.S, according to RentCafe.
By Joe Burns • Dec. 1, 2025 -
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Shifting water infrastructure decisions to local governments could accelerate housing, advocates say
A new WOTUS definition proposed by the EPA would give builders relief from federal permitting delays, but environmental groups warn it could leave cities more exposed to flood and water quality risks.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Dec. 1, 2025 -
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EPA moves to roll back Biden-era particulate limits, signaling a major shift in clean air policy
The agency asked the U.S. Court of Appeals to overturn the 2024 “soot standard,” citing incomplete scientific analysis and projected compliance costs.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Nov. 26, 2025 -
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Sponsored by SamsaraHow connected operations transforms emergency response
84% of agencies lack real-time data for effective emergency response.
Nov. 24, 2025 -
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OpinionThe Eaton Fire showed us California’s future. Our recovery systems aren’t ready.
Ten months after the fire, many Altadena families remain displaced because permitting, remediation and housing policies are not designed for urban fire disasters. Here’s a road map to address these failures.
By Farid Yaghoubtil • Nov. 21, 2025 -
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Q&AHow cities are building climate resilience even as federal funds disappear
Cities are tapping AI, universities and streamlined procurement to prepare for and protect their communities from extreme weather, a founding member of the Local Infrastructure Hub says.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Nov. 21, 2025 -
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Power outages getting longer as extreme weather takes larger toll, report says
The average length of the longest power outage has increased in all regions since 2022, according to JD Power.
By Meris Lutz • Nov. 19, 2025 -
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OpinionBuilding climate-resilient communities: The case for performance-based codes
As communities face increasingly severe climate-related disasters, a shift to performance-based building codes is one of the most effective tools they have for protecting against future natural catastrophes and reinforcing community resilience.
By Charlie Sidoti • Nov. 18, 2025 -
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St. Paul, Minnesota, and environmental groups sue over canceled DOE clean energy grants
The lawsuit claims the Trump administration’s cancellation of $7.56 billion in grants for projects in 16 states was politically motivated.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Updated Nov. 13, 2025 -
Courtesy of Michigan State University
Michigan bets on mass timber to build economy and shrink carbon footprint
A new state grant program aims to accelerate adoption of renewable building materials across public and private projects.
By Matthew Thibault • Nov. 4, 2025 -
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NYC’s co-ops worry they can’t afford to decarbonize. A new road map offers a path from fear to funding.
Flexible incentives, zoning reform and collaboration could help co-op boards overcome Local Law 97’s financial and regulatory hurdles, the report states.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Oct. 31, 2025 -
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5 actions cities can take to keep climate goals on track
Local action is filling the void as the Trump administration pulls back from climate commitments. A new report details how cities can deliver emissions cuts — even without federal support.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Oct. 29, 2025 -
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FEMAFEMA delays $11B in reimbursements as states brace for tighter disaster budgets
The agency’s shifting of COVID-related payments into the next fiscal year highlights mounting fiscal pressure on its Disaster Relief Fund and growing uncertainty for states counting on federal aid, the National Association of Counties says.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Oct. 28, 2025
