Growing Cooler: The Evidence on Urban Development and Climate Change
Meeting the growing demand for conveniently located homes in walkable neighborhoods could significantly reduce the growth in the number of miles Americans drive, shrinking the nation’s carbon footprint while giving people more housing choices, according to a team of urban planning researchers.
In Growing Cooler: The Evidence on Urban Development and Climate Change, a report published by the Urban Land Institute, researchers conclude that development patterns are not only a key contributor to climate change, but an essential factor in combating it. Coming on the heels of the annual Texas Transportation Institute congestion study, the report illustrates that traffic is not the only result of auto-dependent development — these patterns also lead to more emissions that contribute to global climate change.