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Urban centres provide opportunities for a range of social and cultural activities, as well as being critical for innovations in science, technology and education. They are also of critical importance for social and economic development. However, with approximately 40% of global energy use taking place within city buildings, this sector is also the single largest contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions.
As a result, the design and use of energy and resource-efficient buildings has a key role in climate change mitigation to accelerate the global green economy transition. Although vast savings are possible by constructing new green buildings and retrofitting existing buildings, even greater gains can be achieved by adopting a long-term life-cycle approach involving stakeholders at different stages – from environmentally-minded investors and architects, to sustainable extraction, construction and usage, and the eventual demolition and the recycling or disposal of the building materials.
Cities are well-placed to play a major role in decoupling economic development from resource use and environmental impacts, while finding a better balance between social, environmental and economic objectives. Resource-efficient cities combine greater productivity and innovation with lower costs and reduced environmental impacts, offering at the same time financial savings and increased sustainability.
Created a Post in Cities and Urban Development, Water and Sanitation
Read how two leading water utilities — Severn Trent in the UK and SA Water in Australia — are using smart sensors to detect blockages
Created a Post in Cities and Urban Development, Natural Capital, Water and Sanitation
***New book out: Regional Water Security provides new research on policy innovations that promote the application of demand management and green infrastructure to achieve regional #watersecurity Available at https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Regional+Water+Security-p-9781119661122
Created a Post in Cities and Urban Development, Sustainable Finance, Green Recovery from COVID-19
One of the most overarching challenges of the pandemic has been public finance management. The pandemic and associated social restriction policies have lowered economic growth and the ability of Asian governments to finance social infrastructure. A greater quantity and diversity of financing is needed to improve the quality and inclusiveness of social infrastructure.
Created a Post in Blue Economy, Cities and Urban Development, Water and Sanitation
Smart Water Technology Protecting the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon
Created a Post in Cities and Urban Development, Climate Change, Natural Capital
Applying blue-green infrastructure (BGI) solutions to roadways, wetlands and walking trails not only enhances resilience to climatic extremes, but provides a space for humans and nature to thrive. This blog lists multiple benefits BGI provides by taking the example of Melbourne - one of the world's top 10 most liveable cities.
Find out how Melbourne does it by asking any questions you have about BGI or share your relevant project.
Created an Event in Sustainable Finance, Cities and Urban Development
Created a Post in Cities and Urban Development, Green Recovery from COVID-19
Municipal governments can play a crucial role to leading a strong, sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and the fight against climate change, but where and how exactly can municipal actions have the greatest impact? Would love to hear your local government's actions towards a green recovery.
Created a Post in Cities and Urban Development, Climate Change
If a city’s population doubles but incomes stay constant, the city’s floor space per person declines by 40%; If per capita income doubles but population stays constant, the city’s total floor space per person increases by 29% - these are just two key takeaways from the new World Bank report "Pancakes to Pyramids : City Form to Promote Sustainable Growth" that draws on new evidence, econometric analysis, and predictive modeling to relate the economic growth of cities to their past spatial evolution. Which one is more sustainable for urban future - horizontal growth or vertical layering?
Created a Post in Cities and Urban Development, Natural Capital
Over the past 50 years, biodiversity loss has taken place at an unprecedented scale driven by extraordinary change in land and sea use and the overexploitation of natural resources. In an increasingly urbanized world, natural habitats have been converted to urban areas at an alarming rate. Historically, cities have posed a threat to biodiversity and natural ecosystems – but they can also be a part of the solution.
Created a Post in Cities and Urban Development
We often associate healthy ecosystems with rural areas, sparsely populated forests, vast wetlands and open coasts, but they are perhaps most needed in our cities, where half of humanity live.