Societies must take care of those ‘menaced’ by green shift—officials

(Eco Business, 16 Nov 2018) How can governments cut emissions—and protect those that might lose work or face higher costs as a result?

Renting a pair of jeans, working on an abandoned houseboat renovated as an office, or living in a portable home made from a shipping container—these are just a few ways residents of the Dutch capital Amsterdam can play their part to save the planet.

Three years ago, the city launched a quest to become a “circular economy”—reusing products and materials, and minimising waste—by 2050.

It now has 73 related projects underway, according to Eveline Jonkhoff, a strategic advisor on the initiative.

The circular-economy push is part of a wider effort by Amsterdam to help meet the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement to curb climate change, she told a conference on smart cities in Barcelona this week.

Other climate targets for Amsterdam focus on ending the use of natural gas by mid-century and putting in place a clean public transport system that does not contribute to planet-warming emissions by 2025.

But key to the success of the city’s push toward carbon neutrality is enabling everyone to participate, Jonkhoff emphasised.

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Eco Business, 16 Nov 2018: Societies must take care of those ‘menaced’ by green shift—officials