With the world’s population exploding – 2050 will see the addition of some 2 billion inhabitants, primarily in cities in low and middle income countries – decision-makers are pressed to meet basic infrastructural needs (transportation, water and sanitation, public space, electricity, social service facilities and others) while responding to such large global issues as climate change. Further, the COVID-19 pandemic revealed additional weaknesses in national and subnational infrastructure. No global estimate of urban infrastructure needs exists. However, the G-20’s infrastructure hub illustrates the gaps by country and region. Examples of the current and needed investment by 2040 reveal significant gaps: Brazil $1.2 trillion, $India 526 billion, Nigeria $221 billion. This course will review the history, theory, and current practice of financing with special attention to urban places. It will examine the challenges of the planning and financing projects, explore innovation and best practices in the field and suggest needed regulatory and governance reforms, as well as new and disruptive financial tools for cities. Student research undertaken in the course will contribute to the “Cities Climate-Resilient Infrastructure Financing Initiative (C2IFI)” under the direction of Penn IUR and in collaboration with Perry World House and the Kleinman Center. C2IFI is an important project being incubated at the University of Pennsylvania in partnership with the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance (https://www.citiesclimatefinance.org/), the World Economic Forum (WEF), the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, and others.
Climate change, aging infrastructure, pollution, and institutional barriers are all contributing to urban water management crises around the globe. This course examines the systems and policies that comprise urban water, while looking for integrative, flexible solutions. First, we review water system fundamentals, ensuring everyone has a basic understanding of hydrology and traditional infrastructure. Next, we examine key challenges, concepts, and arguments in water management today. Then, we develop solutions, emphasizing integrated water resource management, demand-side management strategies, water portfolios, and decentralized systems. Through the course, you apply the lessons learned from readings, lectures, and class discussions in one city that you select. Final projects are published on urbanwateratlas.com.
This seminar will explore a collection of ideas influencing energy policy development in the U.S. and around the world. Our platform for this exploration will be seven recent books to be discussed during the semester. These books each contribute important insights to seven ideas that influence energy policy: Narrative, Transition, Measurement, Systems, Subsidiarity, Disruption, Attachment. Books for 2018 will be chosen over the summer; the 2017 books are listed here as examples: Policy Paradox (2011) by Stone, Climate Shock (2015) by Wagner and Weitzman, Power Density (2015) by Smil, Connectography (2016) by Khanna, Climate of Hope (2017) by Bloomberg and Pope, Utility of the Future (2016) by MIT Energy Initiative, Retreat from a Rising Sea (2016) by Pilkey, Pilkey-Jarvis, Pilkey.
This class is a survey of methods, concepts, and technologies used by planners to model urban and environmental systems in order to support decision-making and design. The student will learn how to use spatial data and computational models to analyze patterns, identify trends, and visualize alternate futures. The course includes three modules. Module one deals with urban-natural interfaces and includes site suitability analysis; landscape fragmentation analysis, hydrological modeling, and spatial interpolation. Module two introduces agent-based simulation of urban and environmental systems. The final module focuses on land-use applications including handling of remotely sensed data, and urban growth modeling. Students will learn basics of geo-spatial machine learning using the statistical software language R. No experience with R is required, however, basic familiarity with ArcGIS is required.
Land preservation is one of the most powerful, yet least understood planning tools for managing growth and protecting the environment. This course provides an introduction to the tools and methods for preserving private lands by government agencies and private non-profit organizations (e.g., land trusts). Topics include purchase and donation of development rights (also known as conservation easements), transfer of development rights, land acquisition, limited development, and the preservation of urban greenways, trails, and parks. Preservation examples analyzed: open space and scenic areas, farmland, forestland, battlefields, and natural areas.
This seminar will explore a collection of ideas influencing energy policy development in the U.S. and around the world. We will discuss all kinds of modern energy policy issues/debates, firmly grounding those discussions around fundamentals of public policy (e.g., market design, market failure, government failure, etc.). Example topics will include: The Inflation reduction act, infrastructure siting, fuel economy standards, and carbon border adjustments, amongst others.