More cities than ever are implementing measures to fight climate change and mitigate the impact of extreme weather events on their communities, but there’s still a large gap between what’s needed and what they’re doing. In a survey of 812 cities released by nonprofit CDP on Wednesday, almost all said they’re aware they face hazards such as extreme heat, flooding and rainstorms that put their people and infrastructure at risk. Less than half have a detailed plan to tackle the problem.
Cities are essential in the fight against global warming because they’re responsible for about three-quarters of greenhouse gas emissions globally and consume about two-thirds of the world’s energy supplies. Climate scientists say emissions need to be halved by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050 to keep warming at or close to the threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century.
Only 17% of cities are implementing actions across the four areas CDP says have the highest impact when it comes to slashing emissions—building, transport, electricity grids and waste management. There’s a gap in project financing too. About half the cities surveyed identified more than 1,000 climate projects they could undertake, requiring $42 billion in additional investment in total, according to the report.
Opportunity Gap
Most cities are not focusing climate efforts on high-impact areas
Source: CDP “Cities on the Route Towards 2030: Building a Zero Emissions, Resilient Planet for All”