The mayors of 19 global metropolises have reportedly announced to have signed the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Declaration in London with an aim to significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions in their respective cities. As per trusted sources, the newly constructed buildings would have zero emissions by 2030 and the existing ones would become zero carbon by 2050.
The C40 Cities initiative, a group of cities committed to taking bold climate action, coordinated the signing of the Declaration, cite sources. The initiative connects 96 cities whose mayors are determined to realize the most ambitious goals of the Paris Climate Agreement at the local level. Reportedly, the initiative represents approximately 700 million citizens and about one quarter of the global economy.
For the record, buildings in cities are one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions and generally contribute more than half of a total city’s emissions on an average. Buildings in Paris, Los Angeles, and London reportedly account for more than 70% of the total emissions of the city – a factor that has presented a huge opportunity to bring down emissions in these cities.
Reportedly, half a million premature deaths are recorded each year globally due to outdoor air pollution caused by energy utilized in buildings. For the uninitiated, Net-Zero Buildings fulfill energy requirements from renewable sources and utilize energy ultra-efficiently.
As per sources familiar with the matter, the declaration has been signed by the mayors of Washington D.C., Vancouver, Tshwane, Toronto, Tokyo, Sydney, Stockholm, Santa Monica, San Jose, San Francisco, Portland, Paris, Newburyport, New York City, Montreal, Los Angeles, London, Johannesburg, and Copenhagen. The signing of the Declaration comes in the backdrop of the Global Climate Action Summit scheduled to be held between 12th and 14th of September in San Francisco under the theme – ‘Taking Ambition to the Next Level’.