Climate change will exacerbate the food, energy, water, health, and equity challenges that urban communities face, but cities also have opportunities to improve sustainability and outcomes.
cities
Earth Observations Inform Cities’ Operations and Planning
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Chicago, Ill., are using NASA Earth observations to map, monitor, and forecast water and air quality, urban heat island effects, landslide risks, and more.
Urban Land Could Increase Sixfold by 2100
Experts agree that as urbanization continues through the 21st century, cities need to focus on sustainable development to meet climate goals.
Great Lakes Cities’ Sewer Designs Mean Waste in the Waters
In older cities, a single system of pipes may transport sewage and stormwater runoff. As the climate crisis brings more intense storms, urban areas like Toronto are overhauling their drainage systems.
How to Turn Our Cities Into Treetopias
We are and will continue to plant more street trees, urban groves and informal clusters of trees in our parks and green spaces. Treetopia has begun.
Linking Hydrology and Biogeochemistry in a Tropical Urban Estuary
Low-lying coastal estuaries are intertwined with tropical cities around the world. Yet little is known about these water bodies, which affect millions of people globally.
Urban Heat Islands Are Warming the Arctic
Even in the remote high latitudes, a new satellite study sees rising temperatures and spreading green belts around cities, with big impacts on soils and ecosystems.
Coronavirus Lockdown Brings Clean Air to Spanish Cities
Measures against the spread of the new coronavirus have an unexpected side effect: record-low air pollution levels.
Lost in the Everglades
Living in Geologic Time: An unintentional adventure in the River of Grass shows how Florida has changed dramatically over 15,000 years of human habitation.
Poor Water Management Implicated in Failure of Ancient Khmer Capital
Researchers used remote sensing technologies to map Koh Ker’s buried reservoir and calculate its capacity to hold water during the rainy season.
