In Chapter 27, The Climate-Resilient City, Mauricio Rodas places cities as first responders to the world’s most pressing issues, such as climate change, migration, and pandemics like COVID-19. The Paris Agreement and other agendas will not be met if cities don’t take effective action, but the obstacles for cities’ direct access to international finance are hampering the required investment. Structural reforms to the global financial architecture are urgently needed to make it cities-friendly. While there is a growing supply of financing mechanisms available for cities’ climate-resilient projects, most of them are chained to national guarantees and are highly politicized. On the other hand, cities often lack regulatory certainty, project preparation capacity, and creditworthiness. There is a clear dissonance between financial supply and demand, which impedes capital flows from coming. In spite of these shortcomings, particularly in the developing world, cities find ways to finance infrastructure projects. It was thanks to innovation that during my mayoral term in Quito, the municipality managed to successfully build the first metro line in Ecuador. Innovation is key, but more remains to be done. There is a great opportunity to disburse resources directly into cities through COVID-19 stimulus packages. If this unfolds properly, it can become a historic milestone, recognizing cities’ need to improve their access to finance as the only way to develop the infrastructure transformation required to foster a more climate-resilient future.
In Chapter 28, The Green City, The Lord Mayor of Copenhagen gives us the story of green leadership in Copenhagen through more than a decade. The chapter outlines the city’s journey from 2009 when it adopted the goal of becoming the first carbon neutral capital in the world to where it is today. In 2025, Copenhagen will be a city with cleaner air, less noise, energy-efficient buildings, and green transportation. Already, the city has reduced its carbon emissions by close to 50%, while at the same time experiencing an increase in the social economic index. Copenhagen has shown and continues to show that through new solutions, green investments, and new habits, cities and citizens can enjoy green growth and green jobs in a green city. The city’s approach has been refined over the years, but the principle is the same: Copenhagen incorporates data, research, analyses, and stakeholders in its initiatives. It strives to continuously develop its cooperation with businesses, universities, and research institutes as it implements its plans revolving around energy consumption, energy production, mobility, and administration initiatives. The green city aims to inspire others in the green transition, just as it always seeks to gain inspiration from around the globe.
In Chapter 29, The Powerful City, Mark Watts and Sarah Lewis show us “a shared responsibility”. This chapter outlines how entrepreneurial big-city mayors are driving global progress on climate change. It shows that overcoming climate breakdown requires governmental leadership to set a clear policy direction, and create and shape markets necessary to meet science-based climate targets, working with a dynamic, mission-driven private sector that responds to the opportunity to create a new economy based on sustainability and fairness. Using examples from the C40 group of the world’s 100 most influential mayors, the chapter considers how mayors are often working beyond their formal powers and working together across geographic and political boundaries to demonstrate how to deliver the future we want, rather than the one we are hurtling towards, creating opportunity for green investors, entrepreneurs, and communities to thrive along the way.
The conclusion to The Climate City (Chapter 30, Epilogue) is a “manifesto of actions” from the text. We are fast approaching tipping points that will destroy life on our land, in our rivers, and in our oceans. The impact will be on all of the inhabitants of the planet, and the role of cities in doing their part but also paving the way for wider improvements will make a fundamental contribution to the future we end up with. The keys to our future are in the hands of the mayors of our great cities. Enjoy the book.
Notes
1 1 IEA, World Energy Outlook – 2019, based on WHO Household energy database and IEA World Energy Balances 2019.
2 2 Barber, B.R., 2014. If Mayors Ruled the World: Dysfunctional Nations, Rising Cities. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT.
3 3 Katz, B., Bradley, J., 2014. The Metropolitan Revolution. Brookings Institute, Washington, DC.
5 5 BBC ideas; if everyone in the world planted a tree. https://www.bbc.co.uk/ideas/videos/what-if-everyone-in-the-world-planted-a-tree/p084ttpq
6 6 Rittel, H.W.J., Webber, M.M., 1973. Dilemmas in a general theory of planning. Policy Sciences 4, 155–169.
7 7 https://www.mcc-berlin.net/en/research/co2-budget.html.
1 The Ambitious City – Introduction
Cities run on a unique momentum. They combine a vision of the future with constant innovation. It is no mystery as to why our cities come to symbolize the best we can offer as nations. Ambition is what defines a city, the ability to look forward and the constant pushing of the boundaries of what is possible. It is clear that we need ambition, but ambition alone is problematic. All too often we are bound to empty leadership, PR stunts, and meaningless words that lead to unsubstantial policy. Short-term goals are ineffective and long-term outcomes are lost. Simply citing “a net-zero city” as a strategic goal is not enough.
So … how do we retain ambition but keep clarity?
Throughout this chapter, Peter Boyd will discuss this challenge and outline his plan for ambitious but accountable cities. He argues that the “clarity” we seek for the ambitious city is achieved through “connected” leadership both to the environment and the city it serves. Peter writes, “As faith in national governments and global institutions falters, it is in the city level of democracy and leadership that we can locate a stable point of leadership to embrace this level of responsibility.”
This need for connected leadership is not to be underestimated, especially as we move towards our ambitious (but possible) “Net-Zero” targets. Peter looks at what earns a city its “Net-Zero” status and considers how four powerful descriptors – Fully Scoped, Science-Based, Paris-Agreement-Compliant, Cumulative – bring clarity to the concept itself. Peter then goes beyond this, quite literally, in what he refers to as “Net Zero and Beyond”, as he outlines further steps we can take beyond the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions so that cities become “climate positive” rather than solely aiming for “Net-Zero” status.
All leaders act and all leaders are defined by their actions. But in the case of the ambitious city, action alone is not enough in regards to any future leader. They must go “beyond” this. Meaningful, clear, clean action is the only option in the ambitious city.
