European cities are planning to adapt to climate change as the risks become more severe, says a report released yesterday (28 June) by UK-based emissions measurement organisation the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and consultancy Accenture.
Cities increasingly have to plan flood defences, ways to manage water in times of drought, ensure new buildings provide natural cooling to occupants and adapt old buildings and infrastructure to become more energy efficient.
The report surveyed 22 cities – including Amsterdam, Berlin, Istanbul, London, Manchester, Moscow, Paris and Rome – about their greenhouse gas emissions and climate change strategies.
The report comes less than a week after a United Nations’ summit in Rio de Janeiro failed to define clear sustainable development goals and left many convinced that local governments and businesses will have to lead efforts to improve the environment.
The survey found that 17 of the 22 cities have completed or almost completed risk assessments to understand how climate change will affect them.