Environmental planning centers the environment and natural resources in land use and planning decisions. More recently, the rapidly advancing effects of climate change are prompting new urgency for policymakers at all levels to implement climate-friendly policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, conserve natural resources, and build resilience for the future. Urban planners can have an impact on the environment through land use decisions, zoning codes, and transportation planning policies.
All Environmental Planning Courses
Urban Agriculture
Urban farming is becoming more popular around the state of California, taking many forms along the way, as documented in this film produced by experts from the University of California and the Cal State University system in cooperation with local organizations.
The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces
What makes good public spaces work, and why are some public spaces underused? Over the course of this film, William Whyte details insights into seven basic factors of successful public spaces: suitable space, interaction with the street, the sun, food, water, trees, and, finally, a term Whyte calls triangulation, or the ability of a public space to bring people together.