Cities are key to driving economic growth and fighting climate change


By 2030, around 60% of the world's populations will live in cities. Cities are already economic engines and account for over 80% of all economic output but did you know none of the world's 50 most populated cities meet international air quality standards? Air pollution which mostly comes from urban areas can cost as much as 11% of GDP. Urban sprawl costs the US economy an estimated $400 billion per year. But designed right, cities can be the foundation of low-carbon economic growth. We can build better cities. Cities that are connected, compact, and coordinated. Cities that put people and their needs first. Where the air is cleaner and getting around is faster and cheaper. And the best part? We already know how to do this. Investing in smarter transport systems, utilities and energy, networks could save us more than $3 trillion in the next 15 years. For instance, over 160 cities already have Bus Rapid Transit systems.

These can carry up to 2 million passengers per day at low cost. As BRT can be less than one-fifth of the cost of the metro. What we need now are better policy choices and decisive leadership. For years, we've been told that we cannot pursue strong economic growth and combat climate change at the same time. This is a false choice. These are the findings from the New Climate Economy report. Together we can create a better, more prosperous future. Find out more at