Top 5 stories from Smart Cities Dive
By: Ysabelle Kempe • Published Aug. 22, 2024 This is the second in a series of three articles examining local policies that give tenants a right to cooling equipment. Click…
Climate
Want a heat resilience ‘blueprint’ for your city? This federal research center can help.
Dive Brief: The federally backed Center for Heat Resilient Communities opened applications on Wednesday for communities to receive financial and technical assistance for extreme heat planning. Applications close on Jan.…
IRS finalizes direct pay rules, increasing access to IRA’s clean energy tax credits
Direct-pay eligible entities like local governments, public school districts, churches and hospitals will now more easily be able to jointly invest in clean energy projects, according to final regulations released…
EPA awards more climate justice grants, but ‘overwhelming’ number of applications to review remain
Dive Brief: The Environmental Protection Agency has selected 84 more local climate and environmental justice projects to receive awards from its Community Change grants program, the agency announced Thursday. These…
Climate resilience top of mind for Denver as it plans to revamp landscaping rules
Dive Brief: The city and county of Denver plans to revamp its landscaping requirements for new development and some redevelopment projects in an effort to boost climate resilience, according to…
Biden raises GHG emissions-reduction goal, but experts say Trump ‘hellbent’ on reversing course
Dive Brief: The United States will aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 61% to 66% in 2035, relative to 2005 levels, President Biden announced Thursday. The goal is an expansion…
Boston requests new waste and recycling ideas ahead of 2027 contract expirations
Boston is casting a wide net for waste and recycling ideas as it looks to consider different structures for future contracts while making progress on long-term waste reduction goals. Over…
New York City Employees’ Retirement System joins UN investor alliance committed to net-zero emissions
Dive Brief: The New York City Employees’ Retirement System has joined the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance, according to a Thursday announcement from the United Nations-backed group. NYCERS, the largest municipal…
Thermal energy networks can decarbonize neighborhoods. Meet the US cities giving them a shot.
District energy systems — networks of underground pipes carrying steam or water among nearby buildings — have for decades heated and, in some cases, cooled, institutional campuses, military bases and…
‘We’ve been here before’: What Trump’s win could mean for local climate action
Donald Trump, the next U.S. president, has promised to boost fossil fuel production and rescind all unspent funds under the Inflation Reduction Act, the nation’s largest-ever investment in clean energy…