C40

Cities are one of the largest contributors to climate change, emitting over 70% of greenhouse gas emissions and consuming two-thirds of the world’s energy. Global leaders decided that action was necessary in order to combat global warming and climate change, and created C40 Cities: Climate Leadership Group. The C40 plays a central role in fostering a sense of shared purpose in tackling climate change and aids participating cities in reducing greenhouse gas emissions through a variety of programs focused on energy efficiency, clean energy and green economy.

Clinton Climate Initiative City Program
The Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) partners with C40 and assists cities in creating and consuming energy in a more sustainable way while saving money and creating economic opportunities. Technical and project assistance is provided to cities, such as an emissions abatement analysis that estimates greenhouse gas reduction estimates for project scenarios. Financial advice and purchasing assistance is also offered to cities, including discounts on equipment negotiated by the CCI.  Network access with other cities is provided, as well as analytical and measurement tools to assess projects.

C40 Urban Life Program
In a partnership with C40 and CCI, Arup has launched a program which supports both organizations in helping cities combat climate change. Focusing on a ‘Sustainable Integrated Development’ approach, the program addresses the importance of interdependency of land use, energy, waste, water, transport, agriculture, buildings, economics, and sociology. Arup delivers Urban Life workshops which develop carbon reduction programs for individual cities.

Carbon Financing Program
Carbon financing can lead to a variety of social and environmental benefits, including energy savings and emissions reductions, while serving as an important source of revenue. A C40 supported 3-year program called Carbon Finance Capacity Building (CFCB) serves to assist existing and emerging mega cities to harness the carbon finance opportunities of the UN Kyoto Protocol. Nearly ten core cities have signed up to participate in the program, including Jakarta and Sao Paulo.

Climate Positive Program
The Clinton Climate Initiative in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) created the Climate Positive Program strives to create cities that reduce the amount of CO2 emissions to below zero. These “climate positive” cities will focus on building and outdoor lighting retrofits, advanced waste management, and low-carbon transportation options. With over 17 participating projects on six continents, nearly one million people will be living in Climate Positive cities in the future.

In order to exchange information and best practices, the C40 Large Cities Climate Summits gathers together mayors from major cities, their senior staff, and business leaders. A strong dialogue between world leaders creates a collective solution to dealing with future challenges and opportunities. With an effective partnership between the Clinton Climate Initiative, Arup, and numerous cities across the world, the C40 initiative appears to be making significant progress in creating a more sustainable future for the world’s urban areas.