Cities and Climate Change
Cities are both a cause and victim of climate change. They consume up to about 80 % of global energy resources and emit the largest share of greenhouse gases. But they will also be one of the prime victims of climate change, because many are located close to the coasts. Sustainable development therefore, above all else, must mean sustainable urban development. How will cities grow in future? How are city governments going to have to react to climate change?
News
11 December 2009: 100% Renewable Energies for Cities - Copenhagen event
Sustainable development must mean sustainable urban development, above all: Cities consume up to 80 % of global energy resources and emit the largest share of greenhouse gases. At the same time they are also among the prime victims of climate change, because many are located close to the coasts. On December 11th, the World Future Council teamed up with HafenCity University Hamburg, Arup, ETH Zurich, and Fraunhofer ISI to discuss what policies are needed for a transition to 100% renewable energy for cities. Stefan Schurig, WFC Director Climate and Energy, facilitated the discussion "A policy matter: Innovation strategies of the power sector or 100% renewable energy for cities" among WFC Director of Programmes Herbert Girardet, Peter Head (Arup), Karoline Rogge (Fraunhofer ISI), and Tobias Schmidt (ETH Zurich).
- WFC Director of Programmes Herbert Girardet
The WFC Commission on Cities and Climate Change met in Hamburg from November 19th to 20th. Discussions focused on the subject of 100% renewable energy for cities – a respective report will be published shortly. The results of the meeting were presented to the public on November 20th by Commission members Herbert Girardet (WFC Director of Programmes), Prof. Peter Droege (Director Asia Pacific of the World Council for Renewable Energy), Prof. Dr. h. c. mult. Meinhard von Gerkan (Architect, gmp Hamburg) and Henning Thomsen (Practice Manager, Gehl Architects, Copenhagen). They discussed with Dr. Michael Beckereit (Executive Director of Hamburg Energie) and Peter Lindlahr (Hamburg's Coordination Center for Climate Issues). The discussion at the HafenCity InfoCenter at Kesselhaus was facilitated by Stefan Schurig, WFC Director Climate and Energy.
Just before the Commission meeting, the City of Hamburg as European Green Capital 2011 invites mayors of the world's big cities and climate experts to the Hamburg City Climate Conference. The conference features WFC speakers Dr. Eric Martinot, Senior Research Director at the Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies and member of the WFC Cities Commission and Herbert Girardet. As Anja Hajduk, Hamburg Senator for Urban Development and the Environment, says: “On the eve of the Copenhagen Climate Conference, the Hamburg City Climate Conference will be a forum at which cities join forces to agree to share goals and formulate their input for the upcoming conference of nations – in full knowledge of the pivotal role played by cities in the future of our planet.”
Goals
Our goal is to improve climate protection and resource efficiency in cities through improved city planning and implementation of renewable energy policies.
Activities
Written reports
Key questions on the future of sustainable cities will be
discussed such as measures to accelerate the switch to
renewable energy in cities.
Conferences and strategy workshops
The World Future Forum in partnership with e-Parliament,
a global network of parliamentarians from more than 120
countries, will organise two-day workshops on cities and
climate change in different regions of the world.
Media and advocacy work
Gaining public support for action on climate change and
sustainable urban living is a vital component of this project.
Cities Expert Commission
The World Future Council Commission on Cities and Climate Change is an ongoing cooperation between the World Future Council and the HafenCity University (HCU) of Hamburg. It comprises 25 members including WFC Councillors C.S. Kiang (Chair), Ashok Khosla, and Fabio Feldmann; WFC Director of Programmes Herbert Girardet and Policy Officer Randy Hayes; and numerous external experts such as Prof. Peter Droege (Director Asia Pacific of the World Council for Renewable Energy, Australia), Nicky Gavron (Former Second Mayor of London), Dr. Hartmut Grassl (Former Head of the Max Planck Institute), Dr. Eric Martinot (Institute for Sustainable Energy Policy, Tokyo), and Henning Thomsen (Head of the Danish Architecture Centre, Copenhagen). The Commission is honoured to have as its patron Dr. Anna Tibaijuka (Head of UNHABITAT – the cities organisation of the United Nations). Read more about the Commission here.
