Preliminary estimates show that cities and regions were responsible for 55 percent of spending and 64 percent of investment in selected sectors that have a direct implication for climate change over the period 2000-2016 in 30 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. With high levels of inequality in many cities, the success of the transition will depend on the ability of subnational governments to engage in a “just” transition. The investment choices we make in the coming years will either lock in a climate-compatible, inclusive growth pathway or a high-emission, inefficient, and unsustainable pathway for decades to come. Cities and regions are significant contributors to spending and investment related to climate mitigation and adaptation.
This study from the OECD focuses on how national and subnational governments can align subnational financial flows to transition towards low-emission, resilient, and inclusive cities.
Big cities in developing countries are centers of economic growth, and magnets for people seeking better opportunities. That is the good part.
The objective of the “Roadmap for moving to a competitive low-carbon economy in 2050” of the European Union was to demonstrate that reducing EU greenhouse gas emissions by 80-95 percent by 2050 is feasible, and can be achieved without significant negative economic impacts.
This report from the UN Environment lists 8 different success stories from across the globe on the implementation of the green economy.