Energy in future cities

Populations are increasingly concentrated in urban settings, but metropolises don’t have to be planet polluters

While the definition of a smart, low-carbon, sustainable city may vary depending on who you speak to, there is one thing most urban planners agree on: cities have an extremely important role to play in the decarbonisation efforts needed to achieve the Paris climate goals. Cities already account for more than 70% of global energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. If forecasts that nearly 66% of the global population will live in cities by 2050 prove correct, then it's no wonder they are being put at the heart of efforts to mitigate climate change. City leaders and local organisations around the world have been ramping up efforts and the low carbon, sustainable city movement is beginning