The number of cities reporting on their efforts to tackle global warming has jumped 70% to 533 across 89 countries since a new climate change agreement was adopted late last year, according to the group gathering the data.
London-based climate research group CDP said more cities are now doing an inventory of their greenhouse gas emissions with a view to managing them, amid growing awareness of climate risks.
In 2016, four in 10 cities are measuring their emissions, compared with one in 10 five years ago, CDP said in a report released on Tuesday.
Last December, some 195 nations reached a deal to limit global temperature rise to “well below” 2° C by shifting away from fossil fuel use this century.
Here are some facts and figures from the report, which also breaks down the cities’ environmental data by region:
⇐ 190 cities have set city-level emissions reduction targets, and are taking more than 3,000 actions to limit emissions.
⇐ The activities set to generate the biggest emissions reductions are improvements to energy efficiency, including by retrofitting buildings, infrastructure for non-motorised transport, and producing low or zero-carbon energy supplies.
⇐ 44% of the cities disclosing data have an action plan to curb their emissions.
⇐ 89% of cities view climate change as a risk to their city, reporting nearly 1,500 actions to adapt to its impacts. Those measures include educating communities, warning and evacuation systems, and flood mapping.
⇐ The top climate-related hazards they face include extreme temperatures, storms, floods, water scarcity and insects.
⇐ Cities said these climate hazards increase risks to already vulnerable people, and boost demand for public services, including health, as cases of disease rise.
⇐ In Africa, just three of the 46 cities reporting have an emissions reduction target, and only 17% have a plan to curb emissions. But 93% view climate change as a significant risk, and nearly two-thirds have, or are working on, a plan to adapt to its impacts. λ
Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation
