Always see it in English

Cities versus global warming

Given the increase in temperatures caused by climate change, cities are becoming the driving force of change towards a sustainable energy model.

Image of the Earth

For centuries, cities have led commercial development, economic growth, technological developments and innovation. One of the society’s greatest challenges in the coming decades is the fight against climate change and the energy transition, and cities must show their leadership to make possible the necessary change of the energy model, and themselves be the motors of change.

In a special assessment report, the United Nations has issued a severe warning of what will occur in cities if the temperature continues to rise at the current pace. The consequences will be uncontrollable: rising sea level, extreme weather events, increasingly common heat waves and intense periods of drought, not to mention devastating forest fires and hundreds of species going extinct in rural areas.

 

The cities that could end up being submerged due to the poles melting

Hundreds of coastal urban centres could be submerged by rising sea levels due to climate change, according to UN climate predictions. Among them, the most affected would be Osaka (Japan), Alexandria (Egypt), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and Shanghai (China), though others like Venice (Italy), New York and Miami (United States) would also disappear.

In some cases, like in Oceania, entire countries formed of islands could disappear underwater. In total, it is estimated that a 3-degree increase in the planet’s climate would cause over 275 million people to be displaced due to the floods caused by melting.

 

Spain, a critical point in climate change

Our country is not escaping the effects of climate change. In fact, according to experts, the south of the European continent will specifically be one of the areas most affected by a possible rise in temperatures.

The coastal cities of Cádiz, Coruña, Gijón, Bilbao, San Sebastián, Málaga, Alicante, Valencia and Barcelona, among others, will be threatened by the rise of the sea in the event of a 3-degree temperature increase.

In addition, the geographic peculiarities of Madrid, in the interior of the peninsula, and the high pollution of the capital, may amplify the "heat island" effect and cause an increase of temperatures of up to eight degrees. In fact, according to a study carried out by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) along with the organisation of scientists and journalists Climate CentralMadrid holds fourth place among all cities in the world that will suffer the greatest increase of temperatures from now until 2100, only behind Sofia, Skopje and Belgrade.

“The coastal cities of Cádiz, Coruña, Gijón, Bilbao, San Sebastián, Málaga, Alicante, Valencia and Barcelona, among others, will be threatened by rising seas in the event of a 3-degree temperature increase”

Moving toward a model of a sustainable city

Cities have an essential role in the fight against climate change. Cities are the first that should change and lead this evolution toward a life with low carbon emissions, based on efficiency and renewable energies.

To the advantage of cities, it is easier for them to reduce these emissions, given that their main pollutant sectors already have sufficiently mature technologies to be deployed on a mass-scale. Some examples of this would be the modal change of transport, the thermal control systems, such as thermostats and sensors, and the installation of heat pumps in the building, according to the data provided by the report titled "Energetically Sustainable Cities: the 2030 Urban Energy Transition" prepared by Deloitte.

According to the study, the energy transition in Spanish cities requires measures that revolve around four focal points:

1.    Define municipal objectives and model of governance.

2.    Promote new models of sustainable mobility.

3.    Carry out actions that increase energy efficiency and uses of non-pollutant energies in construction.

4.    Convert the Municipal Administrations into an example of sustainable energy.

These measures, mainly intended for the town halls and municipal administrations, require the encouragement and support of all citizens in order to achieve cities effectively leading the fight against global warming.

Related Content

advise icon go to the advise Facebook icon go to Facebook Twitter icon go to Twitter Youtube icon go to Youtube Messenger icon go to Messenger Linkedin icon go to Linkedin Instagram icon go to Instagram Shared Link icon Go to the shared link Checkmark Success icon Checkmark Success down arrow icon down arrow Previous Go to previous Next Go to the next close icon close add icon add up arrow icon up arrow oblique arrow icon look obliquely Arrow down icon Arrow down search engine icon search search engine icon search share icon share filter icon filter email icon send mail email icon email phone icon phone fax icon fac print icon print play icon play user icon go to the user section error icon an error has occurred info icon information thumb up icon like thumb up icon like thumb down icon don't like thumb down icon don't like clock icon Clock Lamp icon Lamp List icon List Map icon Go to the map Phone icon Phone Emergency icon Emergency Pause icon Pause Play icon Play Logout icon Sign off Phone icon Phone
go back icon go back in navigation number 50 icon go to product Tempo Happy 50 Horas calendar icon go to product Tempo Happy Día companies icon go to the business segment gas icon go to gas product catalog rising sun icon go to Tempo Verde-Renewable Energy product home icon go to the household segment 24 hours icon go to One Luz product electricity icon go to Luz's product catalog electricity and gas icon go to the Luz + Gas product catalog moon icon go to product One night light monkey wrench icon go to breakdowns and repairs sun icon go to Tempo Solar product clock icon go to Tempo Happy products 2 hour clock icon go to Tempo Happy 2 Hours product 24 hours icon go to product One Luz number 50 icon go to product Tempo Happy 50 Hours Medium Voltage power line See product catalog with electricity consumption from € 36,000 to € 360,000 / year High Voltage power line See catalog of products with electricity consumption more than € 360,000 / year company icon go to the business segment calendar icon go to product Tempo Happy Day Property management firms icon go to the Property management firms DarkSite icon DarkSite icon light bulb icon See product catalog with electricity consumption less than € 6,000 / year electricity and gas icon go to the Electricity+ Gas Products catalog electricity icon go to the electrical products catalog email icon email contact fax icon fax contact Low Pressure gas icon see catalog of gas products with consumption of less than € 6,000 / year High Pressure gas icon see catalog of gas products with consumption from € 6,000 to € 240,000 / year Medium Pressure gas icon see catalog of gas products with consumption of more than € 240,000 / year gas icon go to gas product catalog Enel icon go to the enel website heater icon heater maintenance service heater maintenance icon go to maintenance service OKGas Heater home icon go to the household segment pressure cooker icon pressure cooker monkey wrench icon go to breakdowns and repairs Medium Voltage power line icon see catalog of electricity products with consumption from € 6,000 to € 36,000 / year moon icon go to product One Night Light sphere icon go to personal website phone icon telephone contact rising sun icon go to Tempo Verde-Renewable Energy product solar panel icon go to photovoltaic solar energy clock icon go to Tempo Happy products black handyman icon with thumb down selected the reaction "I don't like it" little hand icon with thumb down select the reaction "I don't like it" black hand icon with thumb up selected the "like" reaction little hand icon with thumb up select the "like" reaction
Añadir otro equipo eléctrico Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Eliminar equipo eléctrico Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Aspiradora Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Horno Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Lavadora Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Lavavajillas Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Microondas Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Plancha Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Punto de recarga vehículo eléctrico Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Radiador eléctrico Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Secadora Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Split Aire Acondicionado Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Termo Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Tostador Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Vitrocerámica Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Power edit Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Map marker Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit.