The decoupled city

In this chapter, the authors introduce the energy problem. They make the case for the efficiency of compact living and how cities have far outperformed their national counterparts. Cities inevitably lie at the epicentre of our climate, economic, and social problems. The authors show how the cost of inaction is far greater than the cost of action. National economic recoveries will depend on rapidly revitalizing cities while positioning them to thrive in a world suffering the effects of climate change. Many of the measures to foster zero-carbon cities offer significant health benefits, mainly through improved air quality and increased physical activity. City-level action cannot achieve the pace and scale of the change needed to drive down urban emissions. Several cities have already decoupled their economic growth from their greenhouse gas emissions. Pursuing zero-carbon, resilient cities in an inclusive way would simultaneously raise countries' living standards, tackle inequality, and address the climate crisis.