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.

Considering the magnitude of the climate change issue, commitments at the national scale are necessary if the world is to feel any sort of emissions reduction impact. That said, an efficient and effective way to meet these commitments comes from the cities within a nation.

The COP21 international climate agreement negotiations should be guided by California’s experience. While our transition is ongoing, smart policy and bipartisan leadership have reduced emissions and increased renewable energy while creating economic growth.

A new set of case studies and lessons, titled Maximizing Performance of Public Power Utilities, illuminates examples of how publicly-owned utilities can deliver the outcomes desired by their customer-owners through high-level performance management.

A new report from America’s Power Plan investigates the question, “who should own and operate distributed energy resources?” It turns out there there are many options for who can own and operate DERs—and any of them can work, as long as the revenue streams are designed or adjusted appropriately.

Two experts consider what the demand-response market will look like if the Supreme Court kills FERC’s landmark rule. While this ruling potentially affects DR in capacity and ancillary service markets, their exchange focuses on the future of DR in wholesale energy markets.

Comparing two regions with similar total installed wind capacity, WECC and Texas, demonstrates the importance of good transmission planning. The lesson for transmission planning is clear: if you build it, wind will come.

Los Angeles’ Mobility 2035 plan shouldn’t be feared by residents. It will help solve gridlock and create true mobility by creating more transportation options, which is the best way to solve traffic congestion in California, home to three of the five most congested metro regions in America.

To the untrained eye, beautiful skylines, impressive subway systems, and lively public parks characterize great cities. However, there are also a number of invisible design features that characterize the best cities – urban growth boundaries, transit-oriented development, walking and biking pathway density, and small blocks are among the most important of these design features.