The former mayor of New York City and current mayors of Paris and Rio de Janeiro have jointly penned an opinion piece that states that reversing climate change begins with the world's great cities.
Michael Bloomberg, who led New York from 2002-2013, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes write in
London's Guardian newspaper:
"The Paris climate agreement, already signed by more than 175 countries, was successful in large part because national governments recognized cities' progress in reducing carbon emissions . . .
"Cities account for most of the world's carbon emissions, and their share will continue to increase as cities increase in size …
"How that growth takes shape in the next few years will determine whether we can avoid the worst impacts of climate change, and it will also have major economic and public health implications."
The trio say that metropolises planned around affordable mass transit "expand economic opportunity while cleaning the air we breathe."
In addition, "smart buildings and land use save energy and protect people from extreme weather events, helping cities avoid enormous potential costs …
By giving cities the power to act, and putting them at the center of national economic strategies, we can protect our planet while building a better future for the increasing number of people who call cities home."
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