Report
The Weight of Cities
Resource Requirements of Future Urbanization
This report stresses the importance of resource monitoring and the integration of cross-sector urban actions to prepare for urban growth and climate change.
Without a new approach to urbanization, material consumption by the world’s cities will grow from 40 billion tonnes in 2010 to about 90 billion tonnes by 2050. The resource use implications and environmental impacts of urbanization are significant. Resources should now become a central policy concern, in addition to concerns about climate change.
This report presents a strategy of parallel actions on urban planning, sustainable infrastructure design, and cross-sector resource efficiency that are required for a transition towards low-carbon and socially inclusive cities. Monitoring key resource indicators to better understand current and future resource dependencies and embedding resource efficiency into spatial planning will be critical for policymakers to improve urban productivity. City leaders can utilize this report’s new governance model, innovative business propositions, and other recommendations to make this urban transition possible. This report was produced by UNEP.
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PEER-TO-PEER EXCHANGE ON CLEAN AIR ZONES
This 3-day P2P exchange will bring together Madrid, Johannesburg, Marrakech, and national government representatives from Morocco to discuss the planning, implementation, and monitoring of Clean Air Zones.
PEOPLE-CENTERED AND CLIMATE RESILIENT PLACES: PEER-TO-PEER EXCHANGE FOR LATIN AMERICAN CITIES
Hosted in Rotterdam, this P2P Exchange will explore integrated and sustainable urban development strategies to fight climate change and promote livable neighborhoods.
How Cities are Beating the (Urban) Heat
From innovative data analytics to urban greening, cities like Cape Town and Medellín are tackling the growing extreme heat crisis head-on.
How an Urban Bioeconomy can Promote Healthy Ecosystems and Spur Sustainable Economic Prosperity
In Belém, Brazil and other Latin American cities, this concept—which emphasizes circularity, renewable resources, and the development of green infrastructure—is already taking root and reshaping local economies.
