How zoning rules quietly decide how many homes a city can build
Land-use regulation rarely makes headlines, yet it sets the ceiling on housing supply. Understanding it explains why some cities grow up, some grow out and some barely grow at all.
Climate
Climate policy, the energy transition, environmental research and adaptation.
The hard engineering behind grid-scale energy storage
Wind and solar power are only as useful as the grid's ability to store and move them. That is where the energy transition's most complicated work now lies.
Adapting cities to extreme heat
Urban areas trap warmth. Planners are turning to trees, materials and building codes to keep residents safe.
The pleasures of walking a city slowly
The best way to understand a place is often on foot and without a plan. A few habits make an aimless walk more rewarding.
Why public money for new stadiums divides economists and city leaders
Renting versus buying: the trade-offs that simple calculators leave out
What moves commodity prices: supply shocks, storage and the dollar
Latest in Climate
Opinion
Cities should charge for road space. The fairness objections deserve answers, not dismissal
Congestion is what happens when something valuable is given away free. Pricing it would make streets work better — if the proceeds are used well.
Explainer
How carbon markets work, and what determines whether they cut emissions
Putting a price on pollution lets markets find the cheapest ways to reduce it. The design details — caps, allowances, offsets and exemptions — decide whether the theory holds.
