U.N. Climate Change Panels Says Large Cities Aren’t to Blame

Stephanie Adams

9/6/08

Big cities have been taking the blame for the majority of greenhouse gas emissions around the globe but recent studies have suggested otherwise. The U.N Climate Change Panel suggests that only 30 to 40 percent of emissions come from large cities, a number that differs greatly from Bill Clinton’s and Michael Bloomberg’s 75 to 80 percent blame on large cities.

Large cities typically don’t hold many of the industrial factories pumping out emissions. The people who live in large cities don’t have the space to create as much trash or waste as much electricity as those who live in rural areas. Those who live in the suburbs and rural areas, tend to have larger living spaces that have to be heated and spend more time commuting and using cars. The studies also show that greater amounts of emissions don’t necessarily mean there are higher living standards in those areas. Cities in the U.S. use three to five times the amount of gas as European cities. This statistic probably has a lot more to do with the structure of U.S. cities rather than the quality of life. Large cities in industrializing nations such as China, India and Brazil were not mentioned in this article.

Researchers from London’s International Institute for Environment and Development feel that blaming large cities is only failing to realize how those cities can take a great part in helping change our global environment. By implementing living standards that require less greenhouse gas emission and less consumption in large cities, examples will be set for other cities and towns to follow.

http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE48O9V120080925