THE FUTURE IS HERE
Newsweek US|October 06, 2023
THESE FIVE CITIES ARE USING CUTTING-EDGE STRATEGIES TO COUNTER THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND CREATE A GREENER WORLD
Meghan Gunn
THE FUTURE IS HERE

AFTER THIS  SUMMER OF RECKONING with climate change, cities around the world will inevitably be ramping up efforts to deal with the impact of extreme weather and build a more sustainable future for the people who live there. In some forward-thinking places, however, such efforts have already long been under way—and point the way to a greener future.

These leading-edge initiatives go beyond a program here or there to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or an emergency plan to cope with heat waves, floods and wildfires. Instead, they involve a serious reimagining of urban lifestyles and design in an era of climate challenges that's technologically advanced yet human-focused, that aims to minimize environmental impact while enhancing quality of life, and that is economically sound while ensuring that all residents reap the benefits.

To be a city on the leading edge of sustainability, says Andy Hong, director of the Healthy Aging and Resilient Places Lab at the University of Utah, "It's a balancing act of improving environmental sustainability and social equity while sustaining economic development."

To do this, Hong says, legislation and action need to focus on three key areas: clean building, clean transportation and clean energy. They also have to benefit diverse communities. "Low-income and racial minority communities historically have been left out of the environmental movement [yet] have experienced disproportionate burden from environmental hazards," says Hong. "There needs to be a lot of effort to ensure equitable distribution of benefits and resources when it comes to sustainability initiatives."

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