National links: Why we were so ready to predict coronavirus would kill cities

Reports of cities’ death have been greatly exaggerated. Emissions aren’t created equally. The conversation about returning to the office needs some nuance.

Cities didn’t go anywhere: For millennia cities have been a target of disdain, but they have never failed to be the center of commerce and culture. Emily Badger explores why some thought or even hoped the pandemic would be the final blow for American cities, as well as also how cities are viewed differently around the world. (Emily Badger | New York Times)

25 cities create majority of urban emissions: Sampling of 167 cities in 53 countries around the world, researchers found that just 25 cities created over half of emissions from the sample cities. All but three of the 25 cities were in China. But richer countries aren’t off the hook: The analysis also found that cities in wealthier countries had higher per-capita emissions. In a third of cities, road transportation accounted for about 30% of emissions. (Zack Budryk | The Hill)

The conversation we need to be having about remote work: The next three months could determine the next 10 years for office work and culture. As more companies allow employees to come back or work from home, we have to make choices about whether to let work take over the rest of our personal lives. And with child care options still limited, it might be disingenuous to say everyone can go back so fast. (Henry Grabar | Slate)

Lumber prices falling fast: After a year of inflated prices due to the pandemic, lumber prices fell 40% in June alone. The reasons include reduced speculative trading and a return to normal supply chains. Prices are still way above pre-pandemic averages of $350 to $500 per thousand board feet and are now averaging $770 per thousand board feet. (Niall Patrick Walsh | Archinect)

Utopia for whom?: There’s a broad trend in utopian architecture to draft plans that are billed as sustainable and resilient but are really neither — places that are in reality just exercises in disguised exploitative capitalism. Who are they really for and what are they really trying to accomplish? We already have the tools to create sustainable places but really we need the policital will to make them happen. (Kate Wagner | The Nation)

Quote of the Week

“The damage and destruction is where the terror lies. We fear it is eating into our foundation.”

Chicago resident Jera Slaughter discussing the impact of changes in Lake Michigan levels on her 100 year old building in an interactive New York Times piece.

This week on the podcast, Alex Hoffman, assistant director for Capital Improvement Department planning for the City of El Paso, joins the show.