Phoenix, Arizona is a hot city that’s only getting hotter. I spoke to several researchers and scientists about what a heat wave of the future would look like and how it would play out across the city. This is part of a series of articles looking at the potential worst case scenarios in store as the climate changes.
Hydrogen in, water out
Several automakers in China and the United States have their sights set on battery-powered cars and trucks. For Japan, hydrogen is shaping up to be their strategic bet. Companies in the resource-strapped island nation are building up infrastructure to import and distribute hydrogen, while major car companies like Toyota are bringing to fuel cell cars to their showrooms.
Your Thermostat is Sexist
In one of the most click-baitey articles I've ever written, I talk about some research that investigates how buildings are calibrated for comfort. Most buildings are designed around men in suits, leaving women frigid in offices. However, some places are experimenting with less air conditioning and looser dress codes, moves that can drastically save energy.
Playing Defense
Despite political wrangling, the U.S. Department of Defense has long understood climate change as a "threat multiplier." As a result, the military is undertaking steps to improve resilience in its facilities and to increase energy efficiency, driven by demands to maintain strategic advantages in a changing world.
The Ghost of a Divided City
Though the wall fell more than a generation ago, relics of the divide still linger in Berlin. Since unification, Germany has struggled to bring the eastern part of the country up to par with the west, especially in the energy sector. But in some respects, East Germany has come out ahead, with a higher penetration of renewable energy.
Berlin from space. Courtesy of Chris Hadfield/NASA. Used with permission.
Germany's Sunniest
Nestled in the Black Forest, Freiburg, Germany prides itself on its green credentials. But some activists are concerned that this city is not doing enough, with new development plans that may undermine some of its gains.
The old city
The Great Wall of Louisiana
New Orleans now has a massive, billion-dollar seawall designed to protect the city from once-in-a-century storms. But the bayou is eroding and sea levels are rising, so the wall may engender a false a sense of security among locals.