Climate Change
Coastal cities have a hidden vulnerability to storm-surge and tidal flooding—entirely caused by humans
COMMENTARY | Dredging to deepen shipping channels has made coastlines more vulnerable to extreme storms and sea-level rise.
Ensuring resilient water infrastructure requires creative financing
COMMENTARY | Federal support is key to ensuring water systems are safe. But state and local governments have a critical role to play, too.
The secret ingredient in Biden’s climate law? City trees.
Planting trees in cities sounds simple. Here's why the Forest Service is spending $1.5 billion on it.
Nuclear power could solve US electricity needs. But at what cost?
State lawmakers are increasingly eyeing nuclear power to boost clean energy. But as Three Mile Island and a Michigan reactor aim to restart, critics question whether the cost makes sense.
For Floridians in mobile homes, Hurricane Helene was a disaster waiting to happen
Trailers and manufactured homes have long served as a lifeline for struggling families. A warming world has made them a perilous place to live.
Six airports want to charge ahead preparing for electric aircraft
All-electric passenger planes are still experimental. But regional airport managers are eager to install charging infrastructure to accommodate them.
The states where climate progress is on the ballot
Getting laws passed is one thing. Protecting them from Republican opposition is another.
Home insurance rates are rising fast—hurricanes and wildfires play a big role, but there’s more to it
COMMENTARY | Both insurances companies and state-run "insurers of last resort," which can provide coverage for people who can’t get coverage from private companies, are struggling.
Want your community to be climate resilient? Put someone in charge.
COMMENTARY | As billions of federal climate dollars flood state and local coffers, governments need people in place who have the authority to coordinate, fund and carry out a plan to build resilience.
Climate impacts put insurance commissioner races in the spotlight
As premiums skyrocket, voters are starting to pay attention to one of the most obscure positions on the ballot.
Featured eBooks
Why people aren’t buying heat pumps—and what states can do about it
COMMENTARY | New research from the coldest part of the country finds we need to tell people what heat pumps are before telling them why they should buy them.
The US is finally curbing floodplain development, new research shows
“Routine municipal practices” are all it takes, but two problem states are defying the trend.
What’s bugging state and local government public health officials?
As extreme weather patterns increase across the U.S., states and towns are growing more concerned about mosquito-borne illnesses like EEE and West Nile virus.
Why Buc-ee's is picking a fight with Gov. Ron DeSantis
Florida is one of a dozen states that have yet to issue a single RFP using federal dollars to construct EV charging stations. Gas stations see the chargers as an avenue to compete with local power companies.
Could permeable pavement ease flooding woes in New York City?
It can’t help cities control the weather, but by slowing the flow of stormwater, permeable pavement can lessen flooding from big storms.
A new solution for flood-prone cities? Concrete made from shellfish waste.
Researchers have developed a type of concrete that uses discarded shells to trap water. It's now combating floods and food waste in urban gardens and along cycling paths.
State dam safety programs could get new look after summer storms
The pressure is on aging dams as climate change fuels more intense weather, but it often takes high-profile incidents to focus lawmakers and other officials on the problem.
States are falling behind in using IRA funding to advance climate action
Two years after the IRA passed, a new report found that states have only captured a tiny fraction of the funding available.
Facing natural disasters, more lawmakers look to make oil companies pay for the damage
The oil industry rejects the idea that as contributors to climate change, they are legally liable for disaster damages.
Climate change is messing with city sewers—and the solutions are even messier
As heavy rains overwhelm aging pipes, Boston and New York City are choosing very different paths forward.
