Most national plans focus largely on the supply side. But we haven’t done enough research to understand what policies and urban designs help reduce demand in cities. But to get to net zero, you need to also shape the demand, or consumption, side: reduce the demand for energy. You can think about getting to net zero from a supply-side perspective - using renewable, or green, energy for power supply and transport - which is what I think dominates the conversation. So there’s an opportunity to transform these systems. All the essential infrastructure needed for a human settlement - energy, transport, water, shelter, food, construction materials, green and public spaces, waste management - come together in urban areas. Also, 90 percent of global GDP (gross domestic product) is generated in urban areas. Why are the efforts of cities important? What part do they play in emissions reductions?Ĭities are where the majority of the population lives. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. For cities to get to net zero, she tells Knowable, the changes must touch myriad aspects of city life. Ramaswami has decades of experience in the area of urban infrastructure - buildings, transport, energy, water, waste management and green infrastructure - and has helped cities in the United States, China and India plan for urban sustainability. Are cities built densely, or do they sprawl? Do citizens drive everywhere in private cars, or do they use efficient, green public transportation? How do they heat their homes or cook their food? Such factors profoundly affect a city’s carbon emissions, says review coauthor Anu Ramaswami, a professor of civil and environmental engineering and India studies at Princeton University. “Urban areas play a vital role in climate change mitigation due to the long lifespans of buildings and transportation infrastructures,” write the authors of a 2021 article on net-zero cities in the Annual Review of Environment and Resources. CREDIT: JAMES PROVOST (CC BY-ND) Interdisciplinary environmental engineer Anu Ramaswami
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