As climate pledges increase and the environmental crisis intensifies, actionable decisions are crucial. Urban populations are growing rapidly, making cities major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. According to the International Energy Agency, over 50% of the global population lives in cities, and that figure is expected to increase to almost 70% by 2050.
Cities are the primary drivers of economic growth, accounting for over 80 per cent of the global GDP. However, they are also responsible for generating more than two-thirds of global carbon dioxide emissions. Policymakers and city planners must prioritise reducing emissions by integrating energy-saving technologies, sustainable living practices, and intelligent waste management into their plans.
As cities expand, so do their energy needs, infrastructure demands, and waste production, all of which heighten the difficulty of achieving net-zero targets. Cities around the globe are adopting measures like retrofitting buildings, expanding green spaces, and overhauling public transportation systems.
Yet, despite these efforts, the complexity of urban ecosystems means that achieving a balance between growth and sustainability remains a significant challenge. Initiatives like the recent COP29 Presidency’s Multisectoral Actions Pathways (MAP) to Resilient and Healthy Cities demonstrate the importance the global task force is putting on building sustainability into our urban areas. Tackling this problem will require not only local initiatives but also collaborative international efforts to create scalable and effective solutions for reducing urban emissions.
A study published by the International Energy Agency (IEA) in 2023 explains that without widespread adoption of green building codes and aggressive retrofitting programs, emissions from buildings alone could derail global net-zero targets.
Partnerships and initiatives
At COP28, global policymakers announced new partnerships and initiatives to advance sustainable urban development. The initiatives encourage governments to help finance sustainable urban developments and retrofitting programs as well as tackling methane pollution caused by inefficient waste management.
In our industry the question is simple, but the answer is not: Can cities realistically achieve net-zero emissions? The practicalities of such commitments are often debated, yet in the UAE, we have transformed ambitious goals into tangible realities.
Masdar City’s journey offers a ‘greenprint’ for other urban centres aspiring to achieve similar feats. Through a combination of sustainable building practices and financial incentives, the City is becoming a go-to location for sustainability conscious companies looking for business friendly hubs to set up in.
For example, Siemens moved into Abu Dhabi’s first LEED Platinum-certified building in the heart of Masdar City. This paved the way for other companies to follow in Siemens’ footsteps — hitting ESG goals while still maximising the business’s bottom line. Today, Masdar City is home to one of the largest collection of LEED Platinum buildings globally.
Policymakers must start to champion sustainable urban environments if we are to have a chance of meeting our net-zero commitments. The scientific evidence is clear — cities are a major contributor to global emissions.
Our successes show that net-zero is not just an achievable goal, but one that must urgently be replicated across the world to reach net-zero in time.
Mohamed Al Breki is the Executive Director, Sustainable Development, Masdar City
