Before disaster strikes: Climate resiliency through proactive decarbonisation

Abstract

Cities are the beating heart of cross-sector innovation, technological advancement and the expansion of human progress. Yet with nearly two-thirds of the world’s population set to reside in these international hubs by mid-century, the challenges of population density, a global economy of consumption, increased emissions and a subsequently warmer world remain an imminent threat to the survival and prosperity of all. Simply put, the acceleration of human-induced climate change and strengthening extreme weather systems requires the acceleration of decarbonised cities across the globe. With only 0.023 per cent of the world’s buildings earning net zero classification, however — and even those only including Scope 1 and 2 emissions elimination — a Scope 3 emissions focus has emerged as a critical outlier and key component to closing the gap and scaling decarbonisation efficiently and effectively. With Scope 3 accounting for all indirect emissions across an organisational value chain, this category presents both the biggest hurdle and opportunity for both public and private sector entities. Businesses and organisations using a buildings-first, Scope 3-centric approach with the Global Network for Zero (GNFZ) have thus far effectively accelerated building decarbonisation in their operations. With global successes in achieving emissions elimination targets ahead of schedule, the template has proved an effective mechanism that can and must be replicated for buildings at the city level. This paper lays out how the GNFZ methodology can be applied to cities to facilitate their ability to lead on the transition to net zero, and how implementation of this holistic model can serve as a pivotal first step in scaling unparalleled transformation for a thriving, resilient and enduring future.