The desert city faces a growing risk from extreme heat waves and stronger, more unpredictable storms.
![Lightning strikes over Tucson, Arizona at night during monsoon storm](/files/styles/featured_small/public/images/AdobeStock_459319012.jpeg.webp?itok=-n7gULxn)
The city of Tucson, Arizona announced it will begin implementing its climate action plan, developed in part as a response to more intense heat waves and extreme weather events, according to a piece by Ysabelle Kempe in Smart Cities Dive.
Tucson Mayor Regina Romero said the plan balances short- and long-range planning “to protect residents now while also plugging away at long-term efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and become more resilient to extreme weather events.”
The plan includes establishing cooling centers for residents with limited access to safe, air-conditioned spaces, as well as ‘resilience hubs’ that provide cooling services and are powered by solar energy and batteries to stay operational during power outages. “The city also offers free access to showers, pools, and splash pads.”
“Tucson’s long-term climate plans revolve around decarbonizing the city and planting trees to sequester planet-warming carbon dioxide, Romero said.” The city has also created a stormwater harvesting program to help conserve scarce water resources.
FULL STORY: Tucson, Arizona, gears up climate action as city faces extreme weather
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The public is weighing in on a suite of options for repairing, replacing, or removing Interstate 794 in downtown Milwaukee.
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Portland is redesigning its bus system to respond to the changing patterns of the post-pandemic world—with twin goals of increasing ridership and improving equity.
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Can New York City Go Green Without Renewable Rikers?
New York City’s bold proposal to close the jail on Rikers Island and replace it with green infrastructure is in jeopardy. Will this compromise the city’s ambitious climate goals?
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700-Acre Master-Planned Community Planned in Utah
A massive development plan is taking shape for lakefront property in Vineyard, Utah—on the site of a former U.S. Steel Geneva Works facility.
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More Cities Ponder the End of Drive-Thrus
Drive-thru fast food restaurants might be a staple of American life, but several U.S. cities are actively considering prohibiting the development of new drive-thrus for the benefit of traffic safety, air quality, and congestion.
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Air Pollution World’s Worst Public Health Threat, Report Says
Air pollution is more likely to take years life off the lifespan of the average human than any other external factor, according to a recent report out of the University of Chicago.
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