Main content

What will it take for cities to go carbon neutral?

Cities around the world have set ambitious targets to reduce emissions, or go carbon neutral. But as they require so much energy, can they achieve those goals?

Cities emit around three-quarters of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, according to the United Nations, and over half of the world’s population now live in one. Many have set ambitious targets to slash and offset their emissions, in the hope of neutralising their impact on the environment and slowing climate change.

Some are aiming to do this very soon. Copenhagen’s goal is 2025. More than 700 others have committed to targets over the following decades. But how does a city, choked with traffic and packed full of buildings that require huge amounts of energy, actually go about achieving carbon neutral goals?

Joining presenters Graihagh Jackson and Neal Razzell:

Nick Garnett, 91Èȱ¬ reporter
Dr Seppo Junnila, professor of real estate business at Aalto University, Finland
Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone
Mark Watts, executive director, C40 Cities

Producer: Darin Graham
Series producer: Rosamund Jones
Editor: Emma Rippon
Sound engineer: Tom Brignell

Available now

27 minutes

Last on

Mon 7 Jun 2021 19:06GMT

Broadcasts

  • Mon 7 Jun 2021 01:32GMT
  • Mon 7 Jun 2021 08:06GMT
  • Mon 7 Jun 2021 12:32GMT
  • Mon 7 Jun 2021 19:06GMT

Podcast