Michael Grosvenor--

Finally, we seem to be getting a better handle on the influential role that urban form plays in contributing to the global environmental crisis. The sooner decision makers realize that where we live and what we live in is fundamental to how much greenhouse gas we personally emit (the suburban sprawl picture on the right shows the type of urban form that has contributed to high levels of car use; low levels of public transit use; and high rates of energy consumption - the picture on the left shows a denser urban form that supports high levels of transit, walking and cycling; less car use; less living space; and less energy consumption) the sooner we might be able to get greenhouse gas emissions down to safer levels.

Two recent studies caught my eye that illustrate why city dwellers are much better environmental performers than non-city dwellers (suburbanites and rural dwellers). The first one "Shrinking the Carbon Footprint of Metropolitan America" by the Brookings Institute, shows that the US’s carbon footprint has a distinct geography. It quantifies transportation and residential carbon emissions for the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas and concludes that metro area residents have smaller carbon footprints than the average American, with residential density and the availability of public transit key to reducing carbon footprints.

The Brookings Report goes on to suggest that there has been clear urban policy impediments to ensuring future sustainable development, including "a bias against public transit, inadequate federal leadership on freight and land-use planning, failure to encourage energy- and location-efficient housing decisions, and the fragmentation of federal transportation, housing, energy, and environmental policies."

The Brookings Report argues that "Federal policy could play a powerful role in helping metropolitan areas—and so the nation—shrink their carbon footprint further" by promoting compact development options around public transit access.

But this is not just an American phenomenon. A recent report produced by the International Institute for Environment and Development shows that cities around the world produce similar greenhouse gas emission outcomes: the emissions of city dwellers are often far smaller than the national averages across the globe. The cities studied were the major conurbations from Asia, Latin America, North America and Europe.

The IIED Report provides the following conclusion: “The real climate-change culprits are not the cities themselves but the high consumption lifestyles of people living across these wealthy countries." And like the Brookings Institute conclusion, the IIED believes that "policymakers should see well-planned and effectively governed cities as potential solutions" to the greenhouse gas emission problem.

Michael Grosvenor is a leading urban and transport planning professional and freelance writer on sustainable living. His books include Sustainable Living For Dummies (Green Living For Dummies in the UK and US); Energy Saving Tips For Dummies;  Sustainable Australian Travel For Dummies (Wiley/ Feb 2009)--highlighting Australia's unmatched natural scenery; and Water Saving Tips For Dummies. Through his work and writing, Michael promotes the benefits of making sustainable lifestyle choices. Michael has a particular expertise in advising the private sector and government on policies that promote increased public transport, walking and cycling. Michael is a strong advocate for the important role that public transport plays in our cities and towns. Michael is the Director of his own consultancy and holds Masters Degrees in Urban Affairs and Applied Social Research and a Degree in Town Planning. You'll find Michael Grosvenor online at www.sustainabletraveltips.net

 Sustainable Travel Down Under In Australia

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