Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • Fact Sheet Why Cities 8.25.11 Update

    Uploaded by

    paulwa
    29 views2 pages
    Cities are emerging as leaders in climate action due to their large contributions to global emissions and vulnerabilities to climate change impacts. While urbanization increases emissions through higher incomes, cities also provide opportunities for low-carbon living through public transit and density. Cities have both responsibility and capacity to tackle their main emission sources like inefficient buildings, waste management, lighting and traffic congestion. Individual city actions can achieve meaningful reductions and also scale up by networking and sharing best practices with other similar cities.

    Original Description:

    Copyright

    © Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Report this Document
    Cities are emerging as leaders in climate action due to their large contributions to global emissions and vulnerabilities to climate change impacts. While urbanization increases emissions through higher incomes, cities also provide opportunities for low-carbon living through public transit and density. Cities have both responsibility and capacity to tackle their main emission sources like inefficient buildings, waste management, lighting and traffic congestion. Individual city actions can achieve meaningful reductions and also scale up by networking and sharing best practices with other similar cities.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    Download as pdf or txt
    29 views2 pages

    Fact Sheet Why Cities 8.25.11 Update

    Uploaded by

    paulwa
    Cities are emerging as leaders in climate action due to their large contributions to global emissions and vulnerabilities to climate change impacts. While urbanization increases emissions through higher incomes, cities also provide opportunities for low-carbon living through public transit and density. Cities have both responsibility and capacity to tackle their main emission sources like inefficient buildings, waste management, lighting and traffic congestion. Individual city actions can achieve meaningful reductions and also scale up by networking and sharing best practices with other similar cities.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 2

    FactSheet:WhyCities?

    Citiesarealeadingforceonclimateaction Citieshaveemergedasaleadingforceforglobalactiononclimatechange.Withglobalprotocolsand treatiesunabletoimpactsignificantreforms,citiesarestronglypositionedtogeneraterealchange. Thefactsonthegroundbearup:NewYork,SaoPaulo,London,TokyoandJakartaarejustsomeof theworldsmegacitiesthatareworkingtotransformtheirpoliciesandinfrastructuretoimprove energyefficiencyandotherresourceuse. Thecaseforcityleadershiponclimatechangeisstrong: Citiesconsumeovertwothirdsoftheworldsenergyandaccountformorethan70%of globalCO2emissions,themostprevalentofthegreenhousegases(GHG). Citiesaregrowingmorethanhalfoftheworldspopulationnowlivesincitiesandby2050 thisfigurewillrisetothreequarters. Citiesarevulnerabletoclimatechange:75%ofurbansettlementsarelocatedincoastal areasatriskfromsealevelrise,forexample. Lowcarbonlivingisinthefabricofurbansystems Researchshowsitisnoturbanizationitselfbut,rather,higherlevelsofincomethatdrivethehigher GHGemissionsweseeincitiestoday;infact,urbandensitiesyieldmanyopportunitiesforlow carbonliving,suchastheuseofcyclingpathsormasstransport.AstudybytheInternationalEnergy Agencyshowsthat,intheUnitedStates,energyusepercapitaofcityresidentsisslightlylowerthan thenationalaverage.Bycontrast,inChina,percapitaenergyuseofcityresidentsisdoublethe nationalaverage,duetohigheraverageincomesandbetteraccesstomodernenergyservices. Astrongcapacityandwilltotackleemissionsources Citieshavearesponsibilitytocreatesolutionstoclimatechange.Fortunately,theyalsohaveareal capacityandwilltodoso.Actingbothlocallyandcollaboratively,citiesaremakingameaningful globalimpactbyimplementingsustainabilitypractices.Eachcityisuniqueinitsinfrastructure,scope ofcontrolovermunicipalservices,technicalsavvyandevenprogressinaddressingclimatechange. However,theunderlyingdriversofemissionsincitiesarelargelythesame: Buildingshaveinefficientheatingandcooling,lighting,andrefrigerationsystemstheir walls,windowsandroofsleakheatinthewinterandcoldinthesummer. Solidwastelandfillsreleasemethaneagreenhousegasagent23timesmorepotentthan CO2asgarbagedecays. Mostoftheenergyusedforoutdoorlightingbecomeswasteheatratherthanproducing light. Heavytrafficcongestionincitiesgeneratessignificantemissionsandreducesworker productivity. Mostwatersystemswastesignificantwaterandenergyasaresultofleaksandlosses.

    Achievingglobalscale Competitiveadvantagesallowindividualcitiestopursueasubsetofstrategiesthatwillleadto meaningfulemissionsreductionsatthelocallevel.Citiescanbenimbleinimplementingpolicy changes,butarealsoreadilyaccountabletotheircitizens,localbusinesses,schools,andinstitutions forthesuccessorfailureoftheiractions.Tothisextent,citiesareatestbedforlargeraction: policiesandprogramsthatworkenvironmentally,economicallyandpoliticallyhavepowerful potentialtoeffectchangeglobally.Citieswithcommonprofilescannetwork,collaborateon solutionsanddisseminatebestpracticesthatbringactionstoscaleinothersimilarcities. ### Forfurtherinquiriespleasecontact: Media: mmarinello(at)c40(dot)com oross(at)c40(dot)com Moreinformation:

    Visit:live.c40cities.org Twitter:@C40cities;#ycities Facebook:C40Cities

    You might also like