Climate Smart Cities™

Posted on: 10/12/2017 - Updated on: 2/27/2020

Posted by

CAKE Team

Overview

Cities are on the front line of climate change. They can be an important part of the solution by offering energy-efficient living for our growing population—but they must also face the growing threat of heat waves and flooding. Our Climate-Smart Cities program helps cities nationwide create parks and conserve land to meet the climate challenge.

We help cities use parks and natural lands as “green infrastructure” serving four objectives:

Connect: Trails and transit lines provide carbon-free transportation and link residents to popular destinations and each other.

Cool: Shady green spaces reduce the urban “heat island” effect, protect people from heat waves, and reduce summer energy use.

Absorb: Water-smart parks, playgrounds, and green alleys absorb rainfall, reduce flooding, and recharge drinking wa-ter supplies while saving energy for water management.

Protect: Shoreline parks and natural lands buffer cities from rising seas, coastal storms, and flooding.

Related External Links

Climate Smart Cities Poster

Managing Organizations

The Trust for Public Land conserves land for people to enjoy as parks, gardens, and other natural places, ensuring livable communities for generations to come. We were founded in 1972 with goals of protecting land in and around cities and pioneering new land conservation techniques. Over the years, our work expanded to include projects from inner city to wilderness, and our broad experience has made us a national leader and innovator in city park creation, state and local conservation funding, and using GIS for conservation planning.