Low-carbon measures in metropolises can significantly reduce emissions: Report

Low-carbon measures in cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru could collectively deliver over half of the emission reductions needed to keep global temperature rise below two degrees Celsius, a report said on Friday.

The report - "Climate Emergency, Urban Opportunity" from the Coalition for Urban Transitions, supported by 50 institutions said that it is possible to cut 90 per cent of emissions from cities using currently available technologies and practices in buildings, transport, materials efficiency and waste.

"Today, a third of India's population lives in urban areas, and the urban population is increasing by over 2 per cent every year. This equates to 416 million additional urban dwellers by 2050. Trillions of dollars will be invested in urban infrastructure to meet the needs of these new urban residents. This offers a huge opportunity to direct investment to sustainable buildings, energy, transport and waste," the report said.

The coming decades are therefore crucial to shape India's cities into sustainable, equitable and resilient places where residents enjoy a high quality of life and access to opportunities," it said.

it said low-carbon steps in metropolises like Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru could reduce emissions.

The report said the governments across globe that invest in low-carbon cities can enhance economic prosperity, make cities better places to live and rapidly reduce carbon emissions.

By "implementing low-carbon measures in cities would be worth almost Rs 17 lakh crores (USD 24 trillion) by 2050 and could reduce emissions from cities by 90 per cent.

"These low-carbon measures would deliver a significant economic return. The measures would require an investment of USD 1.8 trillion (approximately 2 per cent of global GDP) per year, which would generate annual returns worth USD 2.8 trillion in 2030...based on cost savings alone," it said.