Climate change A-listers
Cities that are leading the way
FOUR Australian cities have beaten others around the world to make it on to an A-list of the leading locations taking action against climate change.
Adelaide, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney were named among 43 cities out of a list of 596 worldwide to make the A-list for taking action to cut emissions and set climate change strategies in a new international comparison.
Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney were also among 14 cities around the world recognised for having set targets to be carbon neutral or to have net zero emissions.
Melbourne was singled out for setting a target of having zero net emissions by 2020, and Sydney was recognised for having the same target for 2050.
Canberra is one of only four A-listers to have a target to have all energy used in the city coming from renewables (the others being Paris, Minneapolis and San Francisco).
Canberra says it can do this by 2020.
Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is the only city claiming to be running 100 per cent on renewables (70 per cent hydro, 30 per cent geothermal).
The “A-list” was released in London on May 13, by the environmental impact non-profit Carbon Disclosure Project, which works with cities and states to measure and manage their environmental impacts.
This is the first time CDP has released a list of cities awarded an A in a bid to drive up ambition in the face of the growing urgency of the climate challenge.
The latest climate science from the IPCC shows the global economy needs to halve global emissions by 2030 and reach zero net emissions by 2050 to have a good chance of keeping global temperatures within 1.5C of warming.
The 596 cities assessed for the list were awarded an A to D- score based on how effectively they were managing, measuring and tackling greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate-related risks including water security.
“An ‘A’ score through CDP means a city demonstrates strong climate adaptation and mitigation strategies, and consistently tracks its emissions,” the organisation said in a statement.
“We urge cities worldwide to step up their action, set targets in line with what the latest science says is needed to prevent dangerous climate change, and transparently share their progress.
“Cities house more than half of the world’s population and are responsible for over 70 per cent of the world’s energy-related carbon emissions, so they could make or break efforts to tackle climate change.”
CDP’s global director for cities, states and regions, Kyra Appleby, said the four Australian cities were now in a very exclusive club.
“Just 7 per cent of cities who reported to CDP in 2018 received an A,” she said.
Every year, hundreds of cities report their climate data through CDP’s environmental disclosure platform and gain data-driven insights into gaps and opportunities for climate policy development, resource and risk management and signal projects in need of investment.
In doing so, they demonstrate ambition, transparency and good governance.