Which State Policies Are Actually Working?

Penn IUR Faculty Fellow John Landis analyzes 25 years of land use, transportation, energy, and water conservation efforts across the United States

PHILADELPHIA— The Penn Institute for Urban Research (Penn IUR) announces a new report by Faculty Fellow John Landis, Professor Emeritus of City and Regional Planning at the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design, offering a comprehensive assessment of how well state and local governments have advanced sustainable development over the past quarter century.

In Moving the Needle? Understanding the Uneven Performance of State and Local Land, Transportation, Energy, and Water Conservation Efforts in the U.S. Since 2000, Landis evaluates more than two decades of progress across four interconnected policy domains: land conservation and urban growth, transportation, energy efficiency and renewable energy, and water conservation. Drawing on national datasets and comparative analysis, the report identifies where public policies have produced measurable results—and where they have fallen short. 

The report highlights how states and localities have pursued different approaches to common challenges, revealing why some places consistently outperform others and what lessons policymakers can apply in their own communities.

"States truly are America's laboratories of democracy," said Landis. "The report asks a simple but important question: after decades of experimentation in land use, transportation, energy, and water policy, where have we actually moved the needle? The answers here point to practical strategies that could help communities become more resource-efficient while expanding opportunity."

The report analyzes performance using widely recognized metrics, including urban sprawl, land preservation, park acreage, vehicle miles traveled, public transit use, electric vehicle adoption, residential energy consumption, renewable energy generation, and domestic water use. It pairs statistical analysis with in-depth case studies of states and localities that have significantly outperformed, or underperformed, expectations. 

Among the report's findings:

• Land conservation efforts are most successful when state policies are paired with strong local institutions, such as land trusts and regional planning organizations. 
• Incentive-based approaches ("carrots") consistently outperform mandates ("sticks"), particularly in encouraging energy conservation and sustainable development. 
• Adding highway capacity alone does little to reduce congestion and often encourages additional driving and low-density development. 
• Transit investments are most effective when accompanied by reliable service, coordinated land use planning, and housing development near transit corridors. 
• Electric vehicle adoption is driven as much by affordability and convenience as by public policy, underscoring the importance of consumer incentives and charging infrastructure. 
• No single state leads across every category, reflecting the importance of tailoring policy solutions to local economic, geographic, and institutional conditions. 

"John Landis brings deep expertise in urban planning and policy evaluation to consider how we measure meaningful progress toward sustainability," said Eugenie L. Birch, Co-Director of Penn IUR. "This report is highly practical, offering one of the most comprehensive assessments to date to identify the policies and practices that have demonstrably improved how communities manage land, transportation, energy, and water."

The report concludes that successful public policy depends less on one-size-fits-all solutions than on transparent governance, collaboration across levels of government, and policies that align conservation goals with tangible benefits for residents and communities. 

Read the full report here: https://penniur.upenn.edu/publications/moving-the-needle-understanding-the-uneven-performance-of-state-and-local-land

About the Penn Institute for Urban Research

The Penn Institute for Urban Research (Penn IUR) is a university-wide institute at the University of Pennsylvania dedicated to advancing research and fostering informed dialogue on the opportunities and challenges facing cities around the world. By convening scholars, practitioners, and policymakers across disciplines, Penn IUR develops innovative, evidence-based solutions that strengthen urban resilience, equity, and sustainability.