About this Discussion

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.

Cities and Urban Development

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Stephani Widorini commented on Stephani Widorini's Opportunity in Sustainable Finance, Cities and Urban Development
Cities Development Initiative for Asia(CDIA)

CDIA announced a series of Virtual Clinics that provides 1-on-1 intensive consultations for secondary cities in Asia Pacific who want to develop bankable and sustainable climate-focused infrastructure projects.   City officials and their technical staff are invited to attend these… Read More

Nature-based solutions play a crucial role in achieving water security. Read how New York City utilises nature to protect its unfiltered water supply.

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https://medium.com/mark-and-focus/nature-based-solutions-for-water-security-4b16da3cf061

A new study published in the journal Nature Communications says that black people living in most US cities are subject to double the level of heat stress as their white counterparts. It begs the question of how cities can play its crucial role in the SDG achievement and leave no one behind.

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https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-57235904

Biodiversity plays a vital role in supporting human life. CDSB's recent research on European reporting practices provides guidance for companies in addressing such matter and land-use related financial reporting.

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https://www.cdsb.net/natural-capital/1188/connecting-biodiversity-financial-capital?utm_medium=email...

How important is free public transport in cities? Access to free transportation allows residents the opportunity to better access jobs and social activities. Sustainable Mobility introduces readers how free public transport can serve as the means of improving urban life.

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https://sustainablemobility.iclei.org/free-public-transportation/

IFC report reveals how a green post-COVID recovery focused on decarbonizing energy infrastructure, building climate-smart cities, and accelerating a shift to more sustainable production can gain economic and climate benefits -
based on analysis from 10 key sectors across 21 major emerging market economies that represent 62% of the world's population and 48% of global GHG emissions.

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https://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/topics_ext_content/ifc_external_corporate_site/climate+business/...

Flooding, overheating, water shortages, and damage to infrastructure from extreme weather are just a few of the many climate crisis facing cities across the globe. Yet a survey of 800 cities conducted by CDP reveals that almost 43% do not even have plan to adapt to impacts of global heating. Budgetary restraints were cited as the key reason by about 25% of cities, with a high reliance on the central government.

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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/may/12/one-in-four-cities-cannot-afford-climate-crisis-...