1 October 2018: Premature deaths of over one million people per year from air pollution and traffic accidents can be prevented through climate actions, according to a report published by C40 Cities, the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy and the New Climate Institute.
The report titled, ‘Climate Opportunity: More Jobs; Better Health; Liveable Cities,’ contends that improved bus network coverage and frequency in cities could prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths related to urban pollution and traffic. Together with energy efficiency retrofits in buildings and renewable energy initiatives, among others, such measures could generate 13.7 million jobs in cities, save 40 billion hours of commuters’ time and reduce billions of dollars in household expenses annually.
The publication highlights selected synergies between climate and development agendas by focusing on typical measures for climate action (SDG 13), including (a) energy supply through renewable and decentralized technologies, (b) energy efficiency and (c) transport, and identifying their links to SDGs 1 (no poverty), 3 (good health and well-being), 4 (quality education), 5 (gender equality), 7 (affordable and clean energy), 8 (decent work and economic growth), 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure), 10 (reduced inequalities) and 11 (sustainable cities and communities).
The report provide policymakers with the justification for climate action.
The report’s other findings include: district-scale renewable energy for heating and cooling in buildings could prevent an additional 300,000 premature deaths per year by 2030; and climate action policies can have proportionally greater outcomes for lower income groups in cities in developing countries.
The report provides policymakers with the “justification for climate action” by pointing to links between climate and other urban priorities, such as public health, poverty alleviation and economic growth. It shows the benefits to society and the economy of city-level climate action, including helping to alleviate poverty and improve the liveability of cities.
A companion online dashboard enables cities to use the data from the report to determine the ways in which specific climate actions can positively impact on job creation, emission reductions and increased savings. [Publication: Climate Opportunity: More Jobs; Better Health; Liveable Cities] [UN Environment News Story]