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Cities drive climate change, and can provide a solution, UN says
(Reuters, 5 Apr 2022) Cities are responsible for about two-thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions - but there are many green actions they can take to reduce their carbon footprint, IPCC says.
The world's cities are a big driver of planet-warming emissions, but can play a major role in addressing climate change in the near future.
U.N. scientists on Monday laid out ways to rein in emissions and curb climate change, including a chapter on actions that city planners can follow.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report found urban infrastructure and activities caused about two-thirds of today's emissions.
That means that cities can potentially "solve two-thirds of the problem. So that's pretty exciting," said Yale University geographer Karen Seto, a lead author of the chapter.
Many cities are already acting. London has introduced fees on highly polluting vehicles in the city center, and Paris has outlawed diesel cars.
Other actions cities can take include improving energy efficiency in buildings, designing streets to avoid traffic congestion, planting "green roofs" and incorporating more parks and trees that help remove some carbon dioxide emissions and also help to keep cities cooler, the report says.
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Reuters, 5 Apr 2022: Cities drive climate change, and can provide a solution, UN says
