Cities only cover 2% of the world’s surface, yet they consume 78% of the world’s energy and produce more than 60% of greenhouse gas emissions. And with the UN estimating that 68% of the world’s population will live in urban areas by 2050, it is vital that we change the way our cities function. The good news is that more than 10,000 cities have made commitments to reduce their carbon emissions by 2050.
So, what are the steps our cities need to take to ensure they move towards a climate-neutral future?
Encourage Cycling
Just as walking is often quite difficult in many of the world’s cities, cycling too is often a dangerous activity, with city planners traditionally giving priority to cars. Yet the benefits of increased cycling is huge: a 2015 IPCC study showed that a 20 per cent increase in cycling worldwide would “cut carbon dioxide emissions from urban passenger transport by nearly 11 per cent by 2050.” Luckily then, many cities are encouraging cycling, with cities such as Copenhagen (see its Farum cycle superhighway for an example of great cycling infrastructure) and Amsterdam introducing dedicated cycling infrastructure, such as secure bike parking and cycle lanes. City bike schemes (both with traditional and e-bikes) have also been introduced worldwide with great success, and with more and more bike-sharing schemes being introduced globally every year, more and more of us are taking to two wheels.