It's <em>true, </em>all points along a parallel line <em>are</em> the same distance from the equator.
Parallels are Lines of Latitude which run in an east and west direction and measure distance north and south of the equator. Imagine it as two people on different sides of the equator, one facing north the other facing south. As the person at the north goes forwards towards the north pole, the person facing the south pole <em>must</em> move forward too. In which case they'll reach the poles nearly at the exact same time.
It measures the environmental consequences of a particular plan or policy. This could be important for urban planning and development policies because many policies are centered on the environment.
