The difficulties of reaching agreements between all the countries of the world lead us to a dangerous drift caused by emissions and global warming. Political vicissitudes, tensions between governments and trade agreements slow down decision-making related to the Climate Emergency. Nor is there a leadership capable of uniting states around a globalism that drives change. This situation was dramatized in the interventions of political leaders at the last COP 25, where no responsibility was perceived for having already increased the world temperature by 1.1ºC.

This fact contrasts with local governments, who are showing greater determination when it comes to adopting mitigation and adaptation measures to Climate Change. It is in urban environments where climate action is most necessary since, although cities occupy close to 2% of the territory, they emit around 80% of global CO2 emissions. The exponential increase in the urban population aggravates this situation with consumption habits that are increasingly demanding energy and resources that increase global pollution year by year.

While countries are sometimes handcuffed in climate action, cities suffer from inclement weather and the ravages of pollution on the health of the population. Urban settlements know that they must act quickly to alleviate Climate Change and improve the state of environmental parameters. To do so, they are closer to the feelings of the population and have the weapons to influence with their powers on waste management, mobility, urban planning and ordering, among other issues of great capacity to accelerate the ecological transition. Green contracting (which consists of introducing criteria that are in tune with the environment, such as contracting energy from renewable sources) also plays an important role as an instrument capable of driving the transformation of the city towards low-carbon environments that are respectful of the environment.

The inaction of countries worldwide due to the climate emergency puts local action in the spotlight. It is time for local governments to take the lead and begin to implement far-reaching policies that are based on respect for the environment and spread commitment to the climate in their area of ​​territorial influence. The battle for the environment will be fought in the cities. It is the time of the cities.

JUAN IGLESIAS
Environmental Urbanist