Climate & Resilience
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EPA’s move to gut key climate regulation raises stakes for city leaders
A repeal of the endangerment finding would make local climate policy a new battleground in continuing tensions between the Trump administration and cities, a legal scholar suggests.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • July 30, 2025 -
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Municipal codes, financial incentives are driving the retrofitting boom, new research finds
Nearly half of building executives surveyed believe retrofits meet urban space needs better than new construction, but many cities lack the policy muscle to make them scalable.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • July 29, 2025 -
Explore the Trendline➔
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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 -
Courtesy of Planet
Colorado regulators press forward with landfill rule despite industry pushback
The proposal, which would be among the strictest in the nation, could be approved as soon as August.
By Jacob Wallace • July 24, 2025 -
Permission granted by Siemens Mobility
NY transit authority orders nation’s first battery-electric passenger locomotive
Siemens Mobility will supply locomotives that can run on batteries or overhead wire, up to 125 mph and with a range of up to 100 miles on battery power alone.
By Dan Zukowski • Updated Aug. 1, 2025 -
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OpinionCalifornia’s clean mobility push is leaving low-income residents behind
Rebates for electric bikes in California have been successful but can leave out people who most need an alternative to private vehicles and public transit.
By Marta Anadón Rosinach • July 22, 2025 -
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3 keys to building climate resilience from the ground up
Cross-department alignment, community engagement and data are essential for preparing communities to weather climate crises, experts say.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • July 22, 2025 -
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Bill seeks to fill federal void on heat protection for public workers
Proposed legislation backed by AFSCME and other major unions could raise the bar for how cities protect municipal workers from rising temperatures.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • July 21, 2025 -
Spencer Platt via Getty Images
Deep DiveHow to protect employees from heat and other climate extremes
Clear protocols for identifying heat illness, safety training, paid breaks and access to water and shade are among the steps cities can take to protect workers as temperatures rise.
By Ryan Golden • July 21, 2025 -
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Local officials hold the key to life-saving flood and weather warnings
Accurate weather warnings are useless if they don’t reach residents in time. Take these steps to avoid mistakes that may have contributed to the tragedy in Texas.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Updated July 17, 2025 -
Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
$10B lawsuit targets LA over ‘epic failures’ in Palisades Fire
Class action and amended complaints accuse city and state agencies of negligence, mismanagement and cover-up in the January fire.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • July 16, 2025 -
Allison Joyce via Getty Images
Most states couldn’t afford disaster recovery without FEMA: report
Cities may need to establish their own recovery and resilience funds because only a handful of states are prepared to absorb proposed FEMA cuts, the Urban Institute found.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • July 15, 2025 -
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California issues key updates on climate-risk disclosure laws
The state’s laws on emissions and financial risk reporting signal a shift in regulatory expectations that could serve as a blueprint for other states weighing similar legislation.
By Zoya Mirza • July 15, 2025 -
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5 steps cities can take to prevent a flood tragedy like Kerr County’s
Cities and counties can strengthen their defenses — even on tight budgets — with smarter maps, stronger codes and regional coordination, a flood expert says.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Updated July 16, 2025 -
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Cities sue Trump administration over termination of climate justice grants
Local governments say the EPA’s blanket cancellation of equity-related funding jeopardizes climate resilience efforts, air quality monitoring, flood mitigation and tree planting.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • July 11, 2025 -
Danielle Ternes/Smart Cities Dive
Sponsored by TomTom[Podcast] Key trends in urban mobility transformation
In this podcast series, explore trending topics related to the larger theme of urban mobility transformation challenges and opportunities.
By Smart Cities Dive's studioID • Updated July 10, 2025 -
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California walks back environmental law for housing, high-speed rail
The changes to the California Environmental Quality Act could greatly speed up the issuance of building permits.
By Matthew Thibault • July 8, 2025 -
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Cities can decarbonize buildings while cutting costs, new road map says
The guide from Climate Mayors and Veolia aims to help cities tackle one of their biggest greenhouse gas emissions challenges, even as federal support for energy efficiency and decarbonization shrinks.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • July 7, 2025 -
Retrieved from New York State Energy Research & Development Authority on June 26, 2025
New York offering up to $750K for facility decarbonization projects
The Large-Scale Thermal program is accepting applications through July 31 for heating, cooling and hot water systems in single buildings of at least 100,000 square feet or campuses of 250,000 square feet and up.
By Brian Martucci • June 30, 2025 -
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As FEMA shrinks, cities face rising burdens — and risks
The backbone of emergency management is under threat, former federal officials say. Small towns may be the first to feel the effects.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Updated June 24, 2025 -
baranozdemir via Getty Images
US, global cities tout emissions reductions
Local U.S. officials say they’re driving emissions goals from the ground up since the Trump administration’s withdrawal from key international climate events and agreements.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • June 23, 2025 -
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HUD green retrofit grant recipients in limbo after funding upheaval
While HUD’s Green and Resilient Retrofit Program gave out almost 270 awards, only 20 projects received funding before it was halted, according to an attorney.
By Mary Salmonsen • June 23, 2025 -
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Targeted investment, tech can sustain critical infrastructure
To help communities bounce back after disaster, jurisdictions must identify gaps in lifeline systems and cost-effective ways to mend them, panelists at the Building Innovation 2025 conference said.
By Julie Strupp • June 18, 2025 -
Antonio_Diaz via Getty Images
New tool maps urban heat disparities block by block
American Forests’ shade map reveals a stark lack of shade in hundreds of U.S. cities, giving local leaders a powerful tool to prioritize cooling investments where they matter most.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • June 18, 2025 -
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OpinionNew building codes aim to provide vital flood protection
The updated standards mark a major shift in approach for design and construction in flood hazard areas, according to a floodplain manager.
By Tom Little • June 16, 2025 -
Thomas Faull via Getty Images
New AI tool helps cities respond to shrinking urban canopy
The open-source model helps cities monitor vegetation loss in real time and plan smarter greenery investments based on population density and vulnerability.
By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • June 16, 2025
