What we're reading this week | The #FridayFive

CDP Identifies Top Global Cities in New Climate Change List
Environmental Leader, May 13, by Alyssa Danigelis
CDP published scores today for 596 cities worldwide that reported to the nonprofit’s environmental disclosure program last year. Of the cities scored, 43 — which represent 7% — scored an A for climate leadership and action. They included Barcelona, London, Paris, Cape Town, Hong Kong, and San Francisco. Thirteen of the top scoring cities set goals of becoming climate or carbon neutral by 2050. The Hague, Boston, and Sydney are among them. [READ MORE]

Lessons For Any Downtown
NextCity, May 13, by Alexander Garvin
“The Heart of the City: Creating Vibrant Downtowns for a New Century,” by Alexander Garvin, diagnoses why some downtowns have struggled while others have thrived, and he highlights the people, businesses, institutions and public agencies effecting change in downtowns across the United States. In this excerpt, he points to two essential tactics, among others, to re-energize downtowns: devoting more of the public realm to pedestrian- and bike-friendly spaces; and sustaining a healthy environment by expanding parkland and greening smaller concretized spaces. [READ MORE]

Massport, Martin Richard Foundation Donate to PPSC
East Boston Times-Free Press, May 16, by John Lynds
Massport made gave a $25,000 grant to PPSC, which allows the community sailing center to continue educational programs, such as “Science of Sailing” and “Ocean Science After School”, for students in East Boston, Winthrop, South Boston, Chelsea, and Revere while the Martin Richard Foundation sponsored a new jib for one of the center’s sail boats. [READ MORE]

City of Boston and ATP Unite to Plant New Trees in Dorchester Park
Asbarez, May 15
The Armenia Tree Project proudly brought its tree-planting mission to Boston’s Dorchester Park, where seven new trees have taken root. As of Wednesday, May 15, three cherry trees and four white oak trees will thrive in the park, which was designed by famed American landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead. The tree planting is one of several events ATP has planned to celebrate its 25th anniversary. [READ MORE]

MIT's Self-Assembly Lab proposes new way of growing islands and coastlines
Dezeen, May 13, by Rima Sabina Aouf
Researchers at MIT and in the Maldives have come up with a solution to help coastal communities threatened by climate change: submersible objects carefully placed to promote the growth of beaches and islands.  The Growing Islands project is the work of Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Self-Assembly Lab and Maldivian organisation Invena, who came together to explore how design could stop coastal erosion and sea-level rise — two problems associated with increasing global temperatures. [READ MORE]