A report released by the NewClimate Institute, C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group and Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy Climate has found that policies which encourage and facilitate large-scale urban climate action can generate millions of jobs, save households billions of dollars and prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths related to urban pollution around the world.

Climate Opportunity: More Jobs, Better Health, Liveable Cities analysed how efforts to promote (1) energy efficiency retrofit of residential buildings, (2) enhanced bus networks, and (3) district heating and cooling reduced the GHG emissions of global cities and improved the health outcomes of their residents. The report concluded that:

• residential energy efficiency retrofit could result in the creation of 5.4 million urban jobs worldwide, generate significant household energy savings, and contribute to emissions reductions.
• District-scale renewable energy for heating and cooling in buildings could create approximately 8.3 million jobs, prevent up to 300,000 premature air pollution related deaths per year, and result in emission reductions

With cities accounting for 73% of global GHG emissions it is critical that policymakers turn their attention to urban climate action if nations are to deliver on their commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement. The report noted how national policy plays a key role in fostering coordination across all sectors and levels of government.

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