Twelve metropolitan carbon footprints: A preliminary comparative global assessment

Title: Twelve metropolitan carbon footprints: A preliminary comparative global assessment
Format: Journal Article
Publication Date: September 2010
Published In: Energy Policy
Description: A dearth of available data on carbon emissions and comparative analysis between metropolitan areas make it difficult to confirm or refute best practices and policies. To help provide benchmarks and expand our understanding of urban centers and climate change, this article offers a preliminary comparison of the carbon footprints of 12 metropolitan areas. It does this by examining emissions related to vehicles, energy used in buildings, industry, agriculture, and waste. The carbon emissions from these sources-discussed here as the metro area's partial carbon footprint-provide a foundation for identifying the pricing, land use, help metropolitan areas throughout the world respond to climate change. The article begins by exploring a sample of the existing literature on urban morphology and climate change and explaining the methodology used to calculate each area's carbon footprint. The article then depicts the specific carbon footprints for Beijing, Jakarta, London, Los Angeles, Manila, Mexico City, New Delhi, New York, São Paulo, Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo and compares these to respective national averages. It concludes by offering suggestions for how city planners and policymakers can reduce the carbon footprint of these and possibly other large urban areas. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd.
Ivan Allen College Contributors:
External Contributors: Benjamin K. Sovacool
Citation: Energy Policy. 38. Issue 9. 4856 - 4869. ISSN 0301-4215. DOI 10.1016/j.enpol.2009.10.001.
Categories:
  • Transportation
Related Departments:
  • Climate and Energy Policy Laboratory
  • School of Public Policy