Cities and Climate Change
As the hubs of economic activity, cities drive the vast majority of the world’s energy
use and are major contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions. Because they are
home to major infrastructure and highly concentrated populations, cities are also
vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, such as rising sea levels, warmer temperatures
and fiercer storms. At the same time, better urban planning and policies can reduce
energy use and greenhouse gas emissions and improve the resilience of urban infrastructure
to climate change, thus shaping future trends.
This book shows how city and metropolitan regional governments working in tandem with
national governments can change the way we think about responding to climate change.
The chapters analyse: trends in urbanisation, economic growth, energy use and climate
change; the economic benefits of climate action; the role of urban policies in reducing
energy demand, improving resilience to climate change and complementing global climate
policies; frameworks for multilevel governance of climate change including engagement
with relevant stakeholders; and the contribution of cities to “green growth”, including
the “greening” of fiscal policies, innovation and jobs. The book also explores policy
tools and best practices from both OECD and some non-member countries.
Cities and Climate Change reveals the importance of addressing climate change across
all levels of government. Local involvement through “climate-conscious” urban planning
and management can help achieve national climate goals and minimise tradeoffs between
environmental and economic priorities at local levels. The book will be relevant to
policy makers, researchers, and others with an interest in learning more about urbanisation
and climate change policy.
Published on November 29, 2010