By Mark Watts, Executive Director of C40
Research conducted by the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group shows that the next four years are crucial in determining if the world can avoid catastrophic climate change. Fortunately, the great cities of the world are committing to bold action that will help realise the ambitions of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Through C40, a network of 91 cities, from Paris to New York, Sydney to Buenos Aires, Tokyo to Lagos, powerful mayors are committed to tackling climate change, and are proving that it is cities where the future happens first. The evidence is growing that cities who take the necessary steps to become green and sustainable most quickly will also be the most economically successful, equal and liveable in the future.
The urgency of the climate crisis means that city leaders must use every tool available to them to tackle this threat, including data. Innovation is already underway in cities worldwide, helping to tackle climate change. Paris and London recently announced plans to make data available on the real world emission of new cars, to help consumers make informed choices about their impact on air pollution and climate change. In Rio de Janeiro, online tools allow citizens to propose where new sustainable infrastructure such as bike lanes are needed. Through the C40 Cities Solution Platform, the private sector and leading cities are working together to find solutions to urgent climate challenges.
Crucially, cities have shown their commitment to share ideas and learning with each other to help drive climate action further and faster. Therefore, any innovations generated through DataCity and implemented in one C40 city could ultimately benefit the 90 other cities across the network and beyond. C40 are excited to work with NUMA and the next generation of startups in cities around the world on this crucial agenda. The stakes could not be higher, but thanks to the innovation happening in cities the ambition of the Paris Agreement can be realised.
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