This image from Google streetview shows a typical scene of the car-centric U.S. landscape. This is not only bad urban design for the climate, it's an unpleasant way to live.

All climate-concerned Americans and, let's be honest, virtually all environmentally-minded people around the world are awaiting the results of the coming U.S. presidential election with baited breath. In the interest of maintaining a bit of optimism, I'd like to promote an emissions-reducing idea to my (obviously!) preferred candidate, Kamala Harris, which would align well with other policies she has spoken about favorably.

The U.S., like many countries, is facing a housing crisis. Many Americans are struggling to pay their rent, and fewer people than ever can afford to buy a home. To address this problem, the Harris campaign has proposed a plan that would, among other things, support the construction of millions of new homes to promote housing affordability. If such a plan were enacted, it would present an incredible opportunity to simultaneously address climate change. 
So, my message to (fingers crossed!!) President Harris: promoting denser urban development could be a game-changer for reducing U.S. carbon emissions.

Right now, most of our land use, both in the U.S. and elsewhere, is dominated by agriculture, with only a small portion going to cities and towns. But cities have an outsized impact on land use since they tend to spread into nearby productive farmland. Research by van Vliet (2019) shows that when cities grow outward, they push agriculture into less productive areas. This means that urban sprawl can indirectly lead to huge amounts of land conversion: between 1992 and 2015, urban expansion directly ate up 3.3 million hectares of forest—and indirectly affected up to 32.4 million more. For that reason, new housing in the U.S. should be focused on increasing the density in the wasteful sprawl that characterizes most U.S. cities and suburbs. 
Beyond land use, denser urban areas are often a win for the environment because they have lower per capita greenhouse gas emissions than rural or suburban areas. People drive less, and buildings in cities use energy more efficiently (Zwick, 2021). Add in the indirect land changes caused by sprawl, and it’s clear that policies that favor dense, mixed-use areas over endless suburban growth could make a real difference. 
It’d be great to see more focus on building up our cities in a way that’s climate-smart. Encouraging urban density not only uses land more efficiently but can make a big dent in emissions. What's more, Americans are hungry to live in denser areas with greater walkability. It is a win-win policy choice. 
Here's to a climate-friendly election result!
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2 w
Promoting denser urban development could be a game-changer for reducing U.S. carbon emissions.
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6 w
This is a great idea! By implementing measures such as energy-efficient building codes, promoting public transportation accessibility, and incentivizing renewable energy adoption, the housing sector can significantly contribute to lowering carbon emissions. This approach will align with efforts to transition towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly economy.
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6 w
This can make a lot of cities climate friendly in the US and globally
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6 w
I do hope that the citizens will make the right decision when it comes to choosing the next president.
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6 w
This is a smart approach! Leveraging housing policy to reduce emissions can transform urban living and contribute significantly to climate action.
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6 w
Looking forward to an informed decision by the people of the USA. The American people must take this opportunity to give a leader who has environmental goodwill at heart.
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6 w
Hopefully the Americans will vote wisely and put into consideration the climate change aspect.
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6 w
@tabitha_kimani I hope they make the right choice.
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6 w
@tabitha_kimani Just few days remaining, hope they will vote for our planet.
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6 w
It’s about time we stop paving over our potential and start building places that are worthy of the future we want to live in.
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6 w
@princess_nel_268 absolutely true, all structures must reflect a clear mindset to protect the environment.