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Smart Growth and Climate Change
Background
EPA offers extensive information about climate change through its Climate Change portal. If you are looking for information about climate change generally, please check that web page first. This page deals with climate change as it relates to land use and development.
Smart growth and climate change intersect in two main areas: mitigation (reducing greenhouse gas emissions from development) and adaptation (making communities more resilient to the effects of a changing climate).
Mitigation: The way we develop our communities has significant impacts on greenhouse gas emissions. Reusing existing infrastructure and buildings takes advantage of previous investments and the energy already used to build them. Redevelopment projects or new developments that are built compactly; in areas close to existing homes, jobs, stores, parks, schools, and other destinations; and with the infrastructure to support safe and pleasant walking, biking, and transit use have been shown to create less of an impact on the climate than conventional developments. Not only do these types of communities have many environmental benefits, including better stormwater management and more efficient use of resources, they also allow people to get around more easily without a car.
According to EPA’s Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2006 (April 2008), roughly 20 percent of U.S. carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions come from passenger vehicles. Lower-carbon fuels and higher gas mileage standards can reduce the CO2 emissions from passenger vehicles, but the growth in population and in vehicle miles traveled would eventually outpace these reductions. An important third strategy to reduce CO2 from vehicles is to address the underlying development patterns that give people no choice but to drive.
Growing Cooler
, a study published in 2008 by the Urban Land Institute and partially funded by EPA, examined the research on compact development, vehicle miles traveled, and carbon dioxide emissions to determine how more efficient development patterns could help reduce our impact on the climate. The study concluded that compact development can reduce vehicle miles traveled by 20 to 40 percent compared to conventional development patterns. Based on the amount of development that will take place and the percentage of that development that could reasonably be expected to be compact infill, the study estimated that compact development could reduce CO2 emissions by 7 to 10 percent in 2050.
Adaptation: In some places, the effects of climate change are already observable. Most scientists believe that further climate change is inevitable. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) published a report in 2008 noting some of the possible effects of climate change in regions around the United States. Depending on the region, these could include more and stronger storms, more drought, more frequent excessive-heat events, rising sea levels, and more flooding. These effects will vary depending on the region, so knowledge of the changes forecast for your region is essential. The National Academies' Transportation Research Board also reported in 2008 that transportation infrastructure could be vulnerable to flooding and land subsidence due to climate change. This report suggested that climate change adaptation should be included in transportation and land use planning.
Smart growth strategies could help communities adapt to these changes. By building more compactly and determining what land to preserve and what to develop, communities can build resilience to the weather-related effects of climate change. Besides helping communities prepare for an uncertain future, these strategies can also help them deal with natural disasters, economic changes like rising fuel prices, and other challenges that could arise regardless of climate change. Some strategies communities could consider include:
- Discouraging building in existing or projected flood plains or in areas that could be affected by rising sea levels and higher tides;
- Upgrading stormwater systems to better manage heavier storm flows and considering methods like green infrastructure to reduce the amount of runoff from paved surfaces;
- Coordinating land use and transportation infrastructure decisions and incorporating climate change projections into these decisions;
- Preserving large, contiguous areas of open space to better protect ecosystems that may be under pressure from the changing climate; and
- Encouraging water- and energy-efficient buildings and land-use patterns so that they can continue to thrive if energy prices rise.
EPA Resources
EPA's portal for climate change information includes information about the science of climate change, health and environmental effects, U.S. climate policy, climate economics, and what you can do, as well as an extensive list of related links.
EPA's portal for energy information links to information about energy and climate change, clean and renewable energy, energy efficiency, transportation's energy impacts, and ways to save energy.
The Aging Initiative includes information about the health effects on climate change on older adults.
The Climate Change Division works to assess and address global climate change and the associated risks to human health and the environment.
The Green Building Program has information on EPA’s activities in healthier and more resource-efficient models of construction, renovation, operation, maintenance, and demolition of buildings.
The Heat Island Effect pages include information about heat islands and ways to mitigate the higher temperatures these urban and suburban areas can cause.
The State and Local Clean Energy Program provides technical assistance, analytical tools, and outreach support to state and local governments' clean energy efforts.
Transportation and Air Quality Partnerships are partnerships with small and large businesses, citizen groups, industry, manufacturers, trade associations, and state and local governments to improve environmental performance in transportation.
EPA is one of the participating agencies in the U.S. Climate Change Science Program, which integrates federal research on climate and global change. The CCSP web site includes many publications on climate change mitigation and adaptation, including the 2008 NOAA report, Weather and Climate Extremes in a Changing Climate, that assesses possible effects of climate change in various regions.
Other Resources
Growing Cooler: The Evidence on Urban Development and Climate Change, by Reid Ewing, Keith Bartholomew, Steve Winkelman, Jerry Walters, and Don Chen. This book, published by the Urban Land Institute in 2008, connects compact, walkable development with CO2 reductions. The book is available for sale at the ULI bookstore; Smart Growth America has a summary of the research and other information.
Smart Growth America’s Energy and Climate pagesummarizes the research on smart growth and climate change.
The American Public Transportation Association has two relevant publications: Public Transportation Reduces Greenhouse Gases and Conserves Energy(Sept. 2007) and The Broader Connection between Public Transportation, Energy Conservation and Greenhouse Gas Reduction(Feb. 2008).
The Center for Clean Air Policyhas many resources on both mitigation and adaptation, including the Urban Leaders Adaptation Initiative.
The Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities published Energy and Smart Growth: It’s About How and Where We Build (PDF) (20 pp, 526K, About PDF)in 2004 to explain the links between energy use and development patterns.
King County, Washington, published Preparing for Climate Change: A Guidebook for Local, Regional and State Governmentsin 2007 to help communities adapt to climate change.
Cool Mayors for Climate Protectionlists mayors who have committed their cities to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the Cities for Climate Protection Campaign or the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, and the actions cities are taking.
ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainabilityhas many resources to help local governments mitigate and adapt to climate change, including software tools and training.
The Center for Climate Strategieshelps states develop climate action plans, including land use and transportation elements.
The Playbook for Green Buildings + Neighborhoodsis a web-based resource that provides strategies, tips, and tools that cities and counties can use to take immediate action on climate change through green building, green neighborhoods, and sustainable infrastructure. A consortium of more than 20 local governments, non-profit organizations, government agencies (including EPA), and utilities produced the playbook to help promote the goals set out in the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement.
in 2008. This report explores the consequences of climate change for U.S. transportation infrastructure and operations.