How can we transition to a low-carbon city?

Source: The post is based on an article “How can we transition to a low-carbon city?” published in The Hindu on 8^th June 2023.

Syllabus: GS 3 – Environment

Relevance: Measures needed for transitioning cities worldwide.

News: There has been a significant increase in the emission of carbon dioxide in 2020 by the cities worldwide.

Transitioning to low-carbon economy requires to integrate mitigation and adaptation options in multiple sectors. This is called the ‘sector-coupling approach’ and it is necessary to decarbonise urban systems.

Why are energy-system transitions important?

An energy-system transition could reduce urban carbon dioxide emissions by around 74%. Therefore, the transition must focus on both the demand and supply sides.

On the supply side, actions include phasing out fossil fuels, increasing the use of renewable energy sources, and employing carbon capture and storage technologies.

On the demand side, the “avoid, shift, improve” framework should be adopted. This involves reducing energy and material demand, shifting to renewable alternatives, and improving energy efficiency.

Additionally, in order to address residual emissions in the energy sector, we must implement carbon-dioxide removal (CDR) technologies.

What can be the different strategies adopted to mitigate and adapt to low-carbon cities?

The strategies to mitigate and adapt to low-carbon varies based on a city’s characteristics.

Established Cities: Established cities can focus on modifying existing infrastructure to improve energy efficiency. Promoting public and active transportation like walking and cycling would also help.

Measures such as electrifying public transport and implementing renewable-based district cooling and heating can also be adopted.

Rapidly Growing City: Rapidly growing cities can aim to bring workplaces closer to residential areas and reducing transport energy demand. These cities can also adopt low-carbon technologies, including renewables and carbon capture and storage (CCS).

New and Emerging Cities: These have great potential for emissions reduction by implementing energy-efficient services, adopting people-centric urban designs, and enforcing building codes that require net-zero energy use.

How can an energy transition be just?

Energy systems are directly and indirectly linked to livelihoods, local economic development, and the socio-economic well-being of people.

Hence, a one-size-fits-all approach is insufficient to ensure a socially and environmentally just transition in energy systems.

This is because transitioning to renewable-energy sources could affect groups of people or communities in developing economies and sectors that depend on fossil fuels.

Therefore, balancing energy supply with rapidly growing energy demand, ensuring energy security, and considering export needs are important.

Additionally, addressing issues related to land dispossession in large-scale renewable energy projects, spatial concentration of poverty, marginalization of communities, gendered impacts, etc. are important.

Moreover, developing economies such as Nigeria, Angola, and Venezuela, which rely heavily on fossil fuel exports, may face significant economic challenges when transitioning away from these industries.

Therefore, a socially and environmentally just energy transition requires specific approaches that address the diverse situations and challenges, ensuring that no one is left behind.

What lies ahead?

Transitioning cities to low-carbon energy systems requires efforts that consider factors such as urbanization, national contexts, and institutional capacities.

Hence, it is important to engage multiple stakeholders in energy governance and decision-making processes.