A report by the British Carbon Disclosure Project suggests that there is merit to this progressive witticism maxim. The study reviewed the efforts of 18 American cities which are members of ICLEI: Local Governments for Sustainability, and found that in recent years cities have begun to undertake planning and mitigation efforts in earnest with positive effects.
A summary is available, as well as a PDF of the full report. The takeaway message is reminiscent of a recent paper by David Satterthwaite, in which he proposes that cities are the solution, not the problem. More evidence that the efforts of ICLEI’s ~1,100 members (from Albuquerque to Zagreb), and the ~1,000 signatories1 to the U.S. Conference of Mayors climate protection agreement (from Anchorage to Yonkers are well placed.
1. Interestingly, nearly half of ICLEI members are in the United States, and two thirds of those are also members of the conference, meaning there are 700 municipalities which are only members of the latter.
Considering the percentage of the earth’s citizens that live in cities now (Believe it went over 50% in the last couple of years) if they aren’t a large part of the solution, we’re in bigger trouble than we thought.
The good news on that front?
Arecent article in Rolling Stone about Obama’s Secretary of Energy, Stephen Chu points out his No.1 priority is ‘Smarter Buildings’. Our living and working structures are currently currently responsible for 40% of all GHG emissions. (In case you’re wondering, transportation is responsible for 30% and is being addressed–naturally–by the Department of Transportation). As a result, the focus on energy efficiency in our cities should increase over the next few years.