Empowering cities for a net zero future: unlocking resilient, smart, sustainable urban energy systems
The new IEA report examines how cities can be a key to a net-zero emissions future as digitalisation opens up a range of new opportunities. More than 50% of the world’s population currently lives in cities, and that figure is expected to increase to almost 70% by 2050. Cities generate around 70% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. As societies recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, CO2 rates are rebounding rapidly. The increase in global energy-related CO2 in 2021 is expected to be the second-largest in recorded history. Cities are a global economic engine, responsible for 80% of global GDP, and represent a major opportunity to accelerate progress towards ambitious climate goals.
