Public priorities for the electricity sector have shifted in recent years as rapid technological development enables a cleaner, more affordable, reliable, and safe electric system. But many utilities are not keeping pace. As a consequence of new market forces and new options, the institutions governing the electricity system must also evolve.

The increase in more mixed-use and walkable neighborhoods is another factor changing the way Angelenos get around. Mixed-use development locates goods and services within walking and biking distance from where people live and work, decreasing the need for long-distance travel by car or transit.

Combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plants are the swiss army knife of today’s US power system. One has to decide if CCGT is a pure energy resource paid off through maximum sales of its electricity, or a flexible resource that holds back on production to support the grid.

On February 21, China’s State Council and the Communist Party’s Central Committee released a new set of guidelines for strengthening urban planning and development. As the world’s most populous nation, China’s urban development will set the tone as urban populations continue to grow worldwide.

Eleanor Stein, a former REV project manager, offers insight on how coordination between utilities, regulators, and the public can boost trust in the regulatory process

A number of urban features are drawing smart people and top-notch businesses to cities, all of which share the common objective of being “people-centric,” focusing on the person instead of the car, the street, or the building. As it turns out, the same features making cities most attractive for people and businesses also make them best for the environment and for the economy.

Sustainable urbanization will be fundamental in China’s ambitions to develop a more consumer-led, innovative economy. By following the roadmaps of Hammarby (Stockholm) and the Pearl District (Portland), China can make great progress in the greening of its cities in the coming years.

The notion of sustainable cities usually conjures environmental themes, but sustainable urban design’s greatest impact could be on economic performance. By creating improved quality of life conditions for residents, sustainable cities simultaneously lay the foundation for wide-ranging economic benefits.

The actions of some countries toward meeting COP21 agreements will inevitably weigh more heavily than others. India’s emissions are expected to more than double in the next 25 years, so it can’t be left out of the conversation. But because India is still heavily developing, it may be better positioned than others to drastically reduce emissions while dramatically improving its citizens’ quality of life.

In the lead up to last month’s historic Paris climate summit, China announced that it would “embark on a new pattern of urbanization.” With cities consuming three-quarters of the China’s energy, the fate of this initiative carries global significance. What will China’s “new pattern of urbanization” look like?

The new “Green and Smart Urban Development Guidelines” feature 18 principles that apply to every city in China. There are recommendations for curbing sprawl, spurring transit-oriented development, creating mixed-use neighborhoods and increasing public space.

Electricity from wholesale power markets keeps the lights on for two-thirds of all Americans. But pressure is mounting to reform these markets to match the changes underway in the energy system. 2016 will be a turning point for policymakers, clean energy providers, and wholesale market operators to work together and modernize U.S. wholesale power markets.

What will the new pattern of urbanization look like for China? The Green & Smart Urban Development Guidelines capture some of the most important lessons learned from global experience on how to build a great city, tailored to China’s unique environmental, economic, and social conditions.

Set in a climate of greenwashing and the unneeded building of novel new cities just because they are labeled green, comes a new set of urban design guidelines that specify how a green and smart city should look and what it should be capable of.

Gas prices have fallen by half, dropping an average of more than $2 a gallon since their most recent peak in 2011. As the global markets process the uncertainty ahead, Politico Magazine asked a panel of leading experts on energy, economics and geopolitics to tell us: As we cheer for cheap gas, what aftershocks should we be bracing for?

China’s urban population is projected to reach 1 billion by 2030, with 75 percent of the population living in cities by 2050. In this rush to urbanize, China has an enormous opportunity to move toward a “new pattern of urbanization.”

As we move into 2016 with an international climate agreement and policymakers thinking about how to meet national commitments, it’s time to review the current status of U.S. power sector emissions and preview the energy trends shaping the next decade.

California’s economy is hot, but its traffic congestion is not. Since the end of the recession, the number of jobs statewide has increased 15 percent. However, California also suffers from the worst traffic in the nation. Moving California Forward offers an essential solution: Apply smart growth principles to build up walkable and transit-oriented neighborhoods.

The money governments and firms have already pumped into renewables and energy-efficiency programmes mean that progress will continue. But even if Mr Trump reneges on America’s environmental promises, others will try to stop the worst of them.

Carbon pricing is China’s best bet to cut emissions and by strengthening the proposed emissions trading scheme the country could see its GHG output peak sooner, according to a group of think-tanks.