Just 100 cities account for 18% of all global carbon emissions, even though half of the world's population lives in urban areas. This is one of the findings of the study titled Carbon footprints of 13 000 cities, conducted by an international team of researchers. The study compared the carbon footprints of 13,000 cities using national emissions data, urban and rural consumer profiles, population, and city incomes.
Led by Daniel Moran, Keiichiro Kanemoto, Magnus Jiborn, Richard Wood, Johannes Tobben, and Karen C. Seto, the research produced a map that illustrates, among other things, the disparity between the carbon footprints of cities in Asia, Europe, and North America compared to urban centers in Africa and South America.
The study considers both emissions generated within city limits (from power plants, vehicles, and buildings) and those embedded in products consumed by the population but produced elsewhere. According to the research, in most cities, the carbon footprint of products consumed by residents is two to three times larger than the emissions generated directly within the city itself.
Ranking of the Cities with the World's Largest Carbon Footprints
- Seoul, South Korea
- Guangzhou, China
- New York, USA
- Hong Kong, China
- Los Angeles, USA
- Shanghai, China
- Singapore
- Chicago, USA
- Tokyo, Japan
- Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
The study also points out that carbon footprints are closely linked to per capita income. The world's wealthiest 10%, who earn more than $14,000 per year, generate about one-third of global emissions. This means that concerted action in a few highly populous, wealthy cities could yield significant positive impacts in reducing global emissions.
Access the full study here and explore the maps produced by the researchers here.
Source: WRI Brasil
This article was written by Romullo Baratto. The translation is powered by AI.
