Climate change and cities

Outlining the relationship between cities and climate change, the author observes that urban areas in high-income nations currently are the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emission. However cities in the North emit up to 50 times as much greenhouse gas as those in low- and middle-income countries. The author calls for innovations and action on climate change to focus on urban centres in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The author argues that there are three reasons why focus is urgently needed in these continents:

• they have three quarters of the world’s urban population
• they will experience the highest population growth in the next couple of decades
• they have the largest proportion of people at risk from climate-change related impacts

Acknowledging that most urban centres often lack basic infrastructure and that responses to climate change therefore may not be a priority, the author outlines three reasons why action should be immediate:

• greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced with modest adjustments in investment decisions, favouring low carbon technologies
• reducing risks from climate change often comes with reducing other risks e.g. improved drainage systems protect peoples health and reduces risks of flooding
• responses do not necessarily require additional expenditures but rather changing regulatory frameworks (e.g. building regulations and land use plans)