Nothing against the countryside, which is lovely, but cities are where things happen. They are magnets for trade, and they're where cultures meet. They're also where more than half the world’s population lives, a number that will only continue to grow.
Nothing against the countryside, which is lovely, but cities are where things happen. They are magnets for trade, and they're where cultures meet. They're also where more than half the world’s population lives, a number that will only continue to grow.
Cities are also now serving as a unique testbed for responses to climate change—bolstering public transportation, erecting more efficient buildings, deploying renewable energy. Instigating those projects is the mission of C40, a coalition of international cities working to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions, no matter what their own national governments may be up to. Today, as politicians, business leaders, and activists gather for the Global Climate Action Summit, in San Francisco, C40 is announcing that 27 cities—including New York, London, and Rome—have reached a peak in emissions, and have seen at least a 10 percent drop from their peak. That’s a big deal in the fight against climate change.
But how do you go about measuring the emissions of an entire city? Sadly, it’s not about putting scientists in balloons and floating them over a metropolis to take readings. Instead, cities report several metrics to C40. For example, you’d look at how much energy buildings are using. You’d also consider how much fuel the citizens are buying. Transport is a big one too—so rail and, if you’re on a river or the coast, water transportation.
Read more at Wired
Photo Credit: Jing via Pixabay
