Cities and climate change: planning a net-zero future.

Future Energy Insights

Considering the diverse challenges cities face, what innovative strategies can they implement to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the near future?
Future Energy Insights seeks to address the most significant challenges shaping the future of energy today, both in the Middle East and around the world.
Responsible for generating 70% of global emissions, António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, has called the world’s cities ‘critical climate battlegrounds’.
This issue was formally recognised at COP28 with the final agreement highlighting the role of cities and relevant subnational players as partners for action.
From urban planning, sustainable architecture and green building standards to biodiversity preservation, renewable energy adoption and public transportation infrastructure, cities have myriad opportunities to implement climate-positive change.

In episode 13, our moderator Jeffrey Beyer, Founder, and Managing Director of Zest Associates, explores and discusses the initiatives, opportunities – and challenges – facing cities across the region with Jamila El Mir, senior advisor to the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions for COP28; Benjamin Schroeder, Group Chief Communications Officer for UAE-headquartered Al-Futtaim Group; and Ghaith Tibi, Middle East Sustainability Lead for Arup. They discuss and identify key priorities for greenhouse gas emissions reduction as we count down to 2030 and 2050.

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