I’ve always been fascinated by how seemingly small changes in urban planning can have monumental impacts on the resource and energy demands we place on our environment. Growing up in the suburbs of  Ottawa, Canada I noticed firsthand how something as innocuous as segregating residential areas from commercial ones had a huge impact on my ecological footprint. The closest grocery store was 2.5 miles away without a sidewalk in sight, which meant that we used cars for virtually all daily needs. Simple zoning changes, such as eliminating minimum parking requirements and allowing mixed-use developments, could have significantly reduced our reliance on cars and lowered our ecologic footprint.

It’s particularly relevant to underscore the broader importance of parking reform in our ongoing battle for a sustainable future, because just last week our President, Tony Jordan, was named on the Grist 50 list of top climate leaders for 2024. Tony’s inclusion on this prestigious list not only highlights just how important parking reform is in the fight for a sustainable future but also serves as a call to action. In celebration of PRN making it to the Grist 50, let’s explore the top 8 ways that parking reform is a keystone of climate action.  

1. Reduces Urban Sprawl

By removing costly parking mandates and appropriately pricing the curb, we encourage more compact and livable built environments. This not only conserves land and natural habitats, but it also reduces travel distances, which cuts down on emissions, resource use, and energy usage, helping to make our cities more climate resilient.

2. Decreases Car Dependency

When all the land that used to be exclusively reserved for under-utilized parking is freed up for more productive uses, it reduces the necessity of being so car-dependent. This nudges people towards more sustainable and less carbon-intensive transportation alternatives like public transit and active transportation.

3. Cuts Down on Traffic Congestion

With appropriately priced curbs, following Shoup’s 85% utilization rule, we can effectively manage on-street parking and reduce unnecessary parking-related traffic. This rule suggests that cities should adjust parking prices to achieve about 85% occupancy, ensuring that 1-2 spaces per block typically remain available. This level of utilization reduces the need for cars to circle blocks searching for parking. The fewer cars engaged in parking cruising means less unnecessary car emissions.

4. Increases Green Spaces

Where once stood parking lots, there could be parks. Transforming parking spaces into green areas not only helps to sequester carbon, but it could also be a critical part of increasing local biodiversity in our communities.

5. Lowers Construction Emissions

The resources required to construct and maintain parking structures, especially underground parking garages, are substantial. By abolishing parking mandates we reduce the artificially created demand on structured parking, allowing us to cut back on construction-related CO2 emissions originating from materials like concrete, steel, and asphalt.

6. Reduces Urban Heat Island Effect

Parking lots built from heat-conducting materials exacerbate the urban heat island effect and complicate stormwater management (issues that will worsen with rising climate instability). Reforming parking policies is therefore crucial for cities aiming to increase resilience and adaptability in the face of growing climate challenges.

7. Improves Stormwater Management and Reduces Urban Flooding 

Large non-porous surfaces like parking lots contribute to stormwater runoff and urban flooding. By removing parking minimums and managing curbs efficiently, cities can free up land for permeable surfaces, reducing flood risks and saving money on costly stormwater infrastructure. As noted in this Strong Towns article, this approach improves both financial and environmental resilience.

8. Promotes Carpooling and Car Sharing

By appropriately incorporating the true costs of parking in prices we can incentivize better utilization of cars by making carpooling and car sharing more financially attractive.

The benefits of parking reform are integral to our collective efforts to fight climate change and build a more sustainable relationship with our biosphere. The honor of having our president, Tony Jordan, as one of the Grist 50 climate leaders for 2024 is a clear affirmation of the critical role that parking policy plays in the diverse toolset needed to tackle our climate predicament. We invite each of you to join us in this endeavor and to remember that there’s a sea of possibilities out there when it comes to climate action. Engage with your local policymakers, attend and participate in local city planning meetings, or start a local parking reform coalition within your network. More than 70 cities have already done so with great success. Don’t hesitate, the time to take meaningful climate action is now. Let’s reform parking together!