Environment
Longing for the Great Outdoors? Think Smaller.
Access to parks, nature, and wildlife is critical for physical and emotional well-being. Now some city dwellers sheltered at home must find it in new ways.
What a Coronavirus Recovery Could Look Like
Urban resilience expert Michael Berkowitz shares ideas about how U.S. cities can come back stronger from the social and economic disruption of coronavirus.
Are Suburbs Safer From Coronavirus? Probably Not.
Urban density does play a role in disease transmission. But rural areas and suburban sprawl aren’t necessarily safer spaces to ride out the Covid-19 crisis.
Parades and Pandemics Are a Really Bad Combination
Coronavirus fears finally halted New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Here’s why health experts are urging cities to cancel all public gatherings.
The New Age of Freeway Revolts
Adding lanes for “traffic relief” remains politically popular. But in Houston and Portland, highway expansions are facing an energized — and effective — local resistance.
London’s Trees Are Saving the City Billions
Shady trees mean less air conditioning and increased worker productivity in the summer months.
Why Are Airlines Flying Empty 'Ghost Flights'?
As demand for air travel plummets around the world, some carriers are operating planes with no passengers, burning fuel to hold their flight slots.
After Tornado, Nashville Braces for Disaster Capitalism
In the wake of a severe tornado, local housing activists fear that a wave of speculators could prey on North Nashville’s vulnerable homeowners.
Pandemics Are Also an Urban Planning Problem
Will COVID-19 change how cities are designed? Michele Acuto of the Connected Cities Lab talks about density, urbanization and pandemic preparation.
Is Vienna Really All That Livable? Depends on Where You Look.
A new report questions the methods used by the Economist Intelligence Unit to rank global cities, saying that environmental justice issues can get ignored.
Calling Out the Super Polluters
Just 100 industrial facilities are to blame for more than a third of U.S. toxic air emissions. A new report ranks the biggest offenders.
Ride-Hailing Isn’t Really Green
The Union of Concerned Scientists estimates that the environmental impact of Uber and Lyft rides is 69% worse than the transportation modes they replace.
Playing the Odds on the Next California Wildfire
In fire-prone parts of California, insurance companies are using new AI-powered tools to better estimate the likelihood of a devastating wildfire disaster.
What 4 Years of Trump’s Transportation Budgets Add Up to
In his 2021 budget request, President Trump sends mixed messages about federal funding for highways, bridges, and railways. Sound familiar?
Paris Mayor: It's Time for a '15-Minute City'
In her re-election campaign, Mayor Anne Hidalgo says that every Paris resident should be able to meet their essential needs within a short walk or bike ride.
What Abu Dhabi’s City of the Future Looks Like Now
At the UN’s World Urban Forum in Abu Dhabi, attendees toured Masdar City, the master-planned eco-complex designed to show off the UAE’s commitment to sustainability.
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Where Light Pollution Is Seeping Into the Rural Night Sky
Artificial light that floods the night sky is thought to be only an urban phenomenon. But when you adjust for population, the picture is dramatically different.
A New Therapy for an Age of ‘Climate Grief’
An emerging cohort of therapists and artists are developing novel ways to help people process the anxiety and helplessness triggered by “climate grief.”
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Where America's Climate Migrants Will Go As Sea Level Rises
13 million U.S. coastal residents are expected to be displaced by 2100 due to sea level rise. Researchers are starting to predict where they’ll go.
Amsterdam Leads the Way on Wetland Restoration
The Dutch capital has long been a global model for flood management in a manmade landscape. Now it is seeking to break ground on how it preserves wetlands.
How Racism Became a Public Health Crisis in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh’s city council voted to declare racism a health crisis, following precedents set by Madison and Milwaukee. Here’s what it means—and what it doesn’t.