Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
April 2024
While there is increasing recognition that social processes in cities like gentrification have ecological consequences, we lack nuanced understanding of the ways gentrification affects urban biodiversity. We analyzed a large camera trap dataset of mammals (>500 g) to evaluate how gentrification impacts species richness and community composition across 23 US cities. After controlling for the negative effect of impervious cover, gentrified parts of cities had the highest mammal species richness.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClimate change is one of the most important ethical issues of our time. Urban scholars and policymakers now recognise the need to address justice concerns associated with cities' responses to climate change. However, little empirical research has examined whether and how cities have integrated justice into climate mitigation planning.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe liberalization of marijuana policies, including the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana, is sweeping the United States and other countries. Marijuana cultivation can have significant negative collateral effects on the environment that are often unknown or overlooked. Focusing on the state of California, where by some estimates 60%-70% of the marijuana consumed in the United States is grown, we argue that (a) the environmental harm caused by marijuana cultivation merits a direct policy response, (b) current approaches to governing the environmental effects are inadequate, and
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUrban areas are the dominant source of U.S. fossil fuel carbon dioxide (FFCO2) emissions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF