This comprehensive report by UN-Habitat, the Global Report on Human Settlements, examines the issue of climate change and urban areas, two areas whose effects are converging in dangerous ways that threaten environmental, economic, and social stability. The authors argue that global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions resulting from cities could be as high as 70 per cent, although without a globally accepted method of determining the scale of emissions it is hard to be sure. This report presents extensive analysis on all aspects of the issue in depth, with data provided in the annex.
The first two chapters discuss the twin challenge of urbanization and climate change, and the international climate change framework environment (covering the Kyoto Protocol and other climate agreements). The contribution to climate change from urban areas is the topic of chapter three, with an in-depth look at the measurement of GHG emissions, and their sources, broken down by sector: transport, energy, commercial and residential buildings, industry, waste, and supporting agriculture and land-use change. The scale of emissions is discussed, as well as the geographical and demographic factors influencing them.
Chapter four focuses on the impacts of climate change upon urban areas, outlining the various weather and climate related extreme events that pose risk, and their relative impacts on physical infrastructure, the economy, health, and migration. Also examined are the social impacts across poverty, gender, age, and ethnicity intersections, as well as factors relating to identifying vulnerability. Chapters five and six regard mitigation and adaption in urban areas, covering all relevant sectors, finance considerations, and scales of governance, from the household up to state legislature. Chapter seven closes with extensive conclusions and policy directions.?
A number of main concerns are highlighted, including rapid urban growth and increases in energy demand. Mitigation and adaptation responses are discussed, their relationships with urban development and planning, and the quest for synergy over conflict. Future policy directions are suggested, with advice that no single policy is equally well suited to all cities; policies should be determined through risk/opportunity management; synergies and co-benefits should be emphasized; and both near- and long-term issues must be addressed.