President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees signal a sharp turn toward fossil fuel expansion and climate deregulation. Key figures, including fracking executive Chris Wright f
Understanding Challenges to Health Equity in Climate Action and Land Use Planning
Researchers investigated the challenges that stakeholders (government, community, and consultants) face while implementing a new California legislation (Senate Bill 1000) requiring environmental justice issues to be incorporated in municipal land use plans (i.e., general plans). The researchers' examination of 37 municipal and county general plans in areas identified by the state as having high levels of environmental injustice reveals that they have limited resources to implement policies and participate in significant community participation. However, one method that urban planners may use to assist overcome this difficulty is to adopt a strong public health framework. In their analysis, three of the 37 jurisdictions alluded to a prior health strategy (i.e., chapter or element) in their general plans as a significant forerunner for environmental justice issues. These communities started their outreach with a wide conversation about health as a way for locals to understand and connect to environmental justice in context. This contextual examination of current situations, as well as the identification of vulnerable people, provided as a guide for community engagement. Local public health agencies, meanwhile, aided urban planners in better understanding community and environmental health concerns. These collaborations were critical in driving community participation and obtaining, sharing, and evaluating data, as well as formulating environmental justice objectives and policies.
A $200 billion surge in liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects could release greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the annual emissions of all global coal plants, raising significa
During his final overseas trip as president, Joe Biden highlighted the Lobito Corridor, an 800-mile U.S.-funded railway project in Angola connecting critical mineral-rich regions
Startups like Still Bright, Ceibo, and Jetti Resources are developing cleaner copper extraction technologies to meet surging demand driven by the energy transition. Innovations in
Long-duration energy storage (LDES) technologies, such as pumped hydropower and underground compressed air storage, are emerging as solutions to store renewable energy for extende
The Midwest Hydrogen Hub, spanning Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, and Michigan, has received $22.2 million as part of a $1 billion federal investment to expand clean hydrogen production
A new study reveals that air pollution from wildfires causes 1.5 million deaths annually, with over 90% of fatalities occurring in low- and middle-income countries, particularly i
A report from the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) reveals systemic racial bias in home appraisals has cost Black Americans $150 billion in home equity. Homes i
Community Church Atlanta transformed its Vicars Community Center into the city's first community-owned resilience hub, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Equipped with
Michigan's Public Service Commission faces a lawsuit from about 80 townships and counties challenging its implementation of a new law, Public Act 233, which expedites permitting f
The fifth and potentially final round of U.N. plastic treaty negotiations (INC-5) in Busan, South Korea, centers on whether to impose global caps on plastic production. Advocates,
Highways in the Twin Cities have perpetuated environmental and social inequities, disproportionately affecting urban communities. Black residents were displaced during their const
Ahead of President-elect Trump’s inauguration, the Biden administration is fast-tracking clean energy investments. The Department of Energy announced nearly $12 billion in loans,
COP29 approved controversial rules for international carbon markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, enabling countries to trade emissions reductions. Critics argue the gui
COP29 concluded in Baku with a contentious climate finance agreement that left many nations dissatisfied. The deal commits wealthy countries to lead efforts to triple climate aid