Cities account for 70% of the carbon emissions from global energy use according to UN-Habitat, and more frequently are suffering increasingly visible and disruptive climate impacts such as heatwaves and storms. Building resilience to climate change, and reconciling economic growth with lower emissions, are major urban policy challenges.
Fast-tracking funding and approval will be important to replicating or scaling successful eco-efficiency initiatives.
Studies show that even if warming is kept to 2 degrees above preindustrial rates, climate zones will still shift hundreds of miles north.
Urban climate change disruption worsens health outcomes; reducing the disruption will improve health and cut disease transmission.
Public awareness and understanding of climate vulnerabilities is growing and should strengthen public support for action.
