Do city dwellers cause more global warming than those in rural areas?

Cities are not more energy intensive because people use more energy individually than their rural counterparts. Rather, the increased energy consumption by cities is a result of greater transport use, buses, car and trains, etc.. heating and cooling offices, and economic activity to generate profits.

The consequence of this increased activity in cities should not be underestimated as it can have a profound impact on overall carbon emissions. To put it in context, the worlds cities create around 70 percent of global emissions yet only occupy 2 percent of total land cover.

Clearly, increased urbanisation and the more energy intensive nature of cities are key drivers of climate change. More than 50 percent of the world population is now living in urban areas. UN projections suggest that by 2030 around 59 percent of the word population will be living in urban areas.

Joan Clos, executive director of UN-Habitat, emphasises this point, We are seeing how urbanisation is growing. There are no signs that we are going to diminish this path of growth, and we know that with urbanisation, energy consumption is higher.

Applying Pareto principles, it is apparent that a relatively small change in energy efficiency and usage within cities can have a significant impact on overall global emissions. In this respect, environmentally friendly infrastructure investment and planning, more efficient transportation systems, better designed buildings and sustainable working practices can yield major benefits.

Dr Gary Robertshaw
The Green Providers Directory