Masterclass | Cities and Climate Change

Cities play a central role in climate change. They are home to 56% of the world’s population experiencing the effects of climate change and are responsible for 75% of global CO2 emissions. Despite projections of a 50% global energy demand increase by 2050, it is important that cities meet their energy demands whilst generating less CO2, reducing their burden on global warming. As well as cities being a cause of climate change, they are often particularly vulnerable to it because of their siting. For example, cities tend to be near coasts and rivers making them exposed to sea-level rise and flooding. Additionally, cities modify their climate, exacerbating temperature and precipitation extremes, due to having reduced vegetation and a large capacity to store heat. However, careful urban planning and mitigation strategies can be used to make cities more climate resilient. I will discuss the issues surrounding cities and climate change, pose possible solutions, and give examples of how weather and climate models can contribute towards developing healthy, sustainable cities.