Originally published on May 13, 2019 by Alyssa Danigelis on Environmental Leader.
CDP published scores for 596 cities worldwide that reported to the nonprofit’s environmental disclosure program last year. This marks the first time CDP has released a list of the cities awarded an A score.
The nonprofit explained that scores are based on how effectively cities managing, measuring, and tackling greenhouse gas emissions, and adapting to climate-related risks including water security.
Of the cities scored, 43 — which represent 7% — scored an A for climate leadership and action. They included Barcelona, London, Paris, Cape Town, Hong Kong, and San Francisco. Thirteen of the top scoring cities set goals of becoming climate or carbon neutral by 2050. The Hague, Boston, and Sydney are among them.
“Cities house more than half of the world’s population and are responsible for over 70% of the world’s energy-related carbon emissions, so they could make or break efforts to tackle climate change,” said Kyra Appleby, global director for cities, states, and regions at CDP.
The nonprofit says it named top ranking cities in a bid to drive up ambition in the face of growing urgency around climate change. CDP highlighted several city initiatives:
– London introduced an ultra-low emissions zone on April 8, 2019, where drivers that have more polluting cars pay more to drive.
– Calgary is building a new light rail system that’s expected cut 30,000 metric tons of CO2e from the city’s traffic emissions every year.
– The Hague built a kilometer-long dike underneath its new waterfront boulevard thats invisible to the average citizen but offers protection from coastal flooding.
– Taipei prioritizes tackling drought and has fixed 2,200 water leaks, saving 613,300 metric tons of water per year since 2015.
“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,” Appleby said.
