Cities, climate change & COP27

Cities emit about 70 per cent of Green House Gases and contribute 80 per cent to the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It means urban operations, including industrial and commercial operations being operated from cities, need to realign themselves to make cities energy efficient and resilient because the impacts of climate change will affect cities the most, and they need to be prepared

Cities are important for any nation because they play a significant role in bringing prosperity to a nation. The concentration of activities in cities makes them energy guzzlers and the biggest emitters, but no nation can progress without cities. The best thing the countries can do is make their urban operations efficient and sustainable.
The unprepared cities and local governments will face disproportionally high consequences of changing climate. Cities will also have to accommodate climate migrants if they are not directly affected by the negative impacts of climate change. Poorly-planned and unsustainable urbanization and natural capital erosion contribute to climate change.

Local governments and climate change

All of us have heard global experts on climate change that the world has to take immediate action to arrest global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees from preindustrial levels. The world has already become warmer by 1.1 degree than in 1880. The fundamental question is: Are our cities ready to take action to mitigate and adapt to climate change? The answer is complicated for many cities, even in developed countries, but it becomes more challenging for cities in developing countries devoid of technology, capacity and resources. The problem becomes more severe in small cities in developing countries as many of these are not even aware of what kind of problem they will face if they do not act now.
This is one of the main reasons many Tier II and Tier III cities in India cannot act quickly enough to mitigate climate change or adapt to its challenges. Another reason is the priority. When the city faces service and infrastructure issues, the first priority would be to address and provide immediate relief to citizens. For example, if a city does not have electricity or has an erratic supply. The focus of its elected representative or municipal official would be to provide an uninterrupted electric supply to its residents so that they can go about their daily lives comfortably. The question of renewal or sustainability would not be a priority because it is a matter of subsistence.
Similarly, cities and their residents in developing countries will always see climate change or the issue of sustainability as a secondary concern, especially when they would have to prioritize their actions for alleviating poverty, providing better services to citizens, and addressing inequality. Cities, especially those not having exposure to global knowledge and transitioning from rural to urban, need support from all urban stakeholders to chart their development trajectory in the right direction. Suppose these cities and towns cannot manage the primary urban stresses like lack of affordable housing, fractured access to essential civic services, and water and air pollution, nations may find it challenging to achieve the desired goals, including net-zero and Agenda 2030. This is an opportunity for the developed world, national governments and local government associations to enable these urban local bodies to solve their existing problems sustainably. If they are provided with guidance, the cities could make the right choices which will not be detrimental to their sustainable growth but also affect the overall progress in the global fight against climate change.

Cities & emission

Like the developed world has historically contributed most to GHG emissions, the same is true for cities. According to a recently released report by the World Bank, ‘Making Cities Green, Resilient, and Inclusive in a Changing Climate’, cities in high- and upper-middle-income countries have the highest fossil CO2 emissions per capita, and those in low-income countries have the lowest. Indeed, in 2015 average per capita emissions in cities in high-income countries were almost 18 times higher than those in low-income countries. In contrast, those in cities in upper-middle-income countries were more than 21 times higher. Higher average per capita emissions in high- and upper-middle-income cities also translate into higher shares of global urban CO2 emissions. In 2015, these cities accounted for nearly 86.00 per cent of all global urban CO2 emissions. Cities in lower-middle-income countries contributed almost 13.00 per cent, and cities in low-income countries were less than 0.20 per cent.
It becomes obvious that cities with high emission rates must work on both mitigation and adaptation. At the same time, the major work in low-emitting cities is on adaptation. They also need to learn from cities in high-income countries how to develop without following high-emitters’ path. In the same way, governments must study the impact of low and high-density development and its effect on CO2 emission. Many researchers have suggested that compact city development is favourable and reduces overall GHG emissions. As compact cities are more walking and cycling-friendly, access to transportation is easy, and vertical development leaves more land for greenery. The example of high-rise buildings and dense vegetation in many prosperous cities shows how compact cities could be the future.
It is becoming increasingly crucial that cities invest in research and development to choose the correct option in housing, transportation, and development type. Aping other successful cities cannot be a solution because every region has advantages, strengths and limitations. Cities also need to devise creative and innovative solutions in almost all spheres, like affordable housing, building technology, sustainable materials in construction, provision of energy-efficient civic services, and, last but not least, urban governance and management. City governments will have to become vital to take firm decisions.

It becomes obvious that cities with high emission rates must work on both mitigation and adaptation. At the same time, the major work in low-emitting cities is on adaptation. They also need to learn from cities in high-income countries how to develop without following high-emitters’ path. In the same way, governments must study the impact of low and high-density development and its effect on CO2 emission. Many researchers have suggested that compact city development is favourable and reduces overall GHG emissions