The 28e United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), currently taking place in Dubai, is a historic moment for cities. For the first time, cities have a voice in the negotiations, which will undoubtedly influence the commitments that will be made and the text that will be adopted.
Another first: the COP began with the Local Climate Action Summit. The whole world was focused on cities. There is now a consensus on the idea that we must seize the potential linked to urban transformations to give ourselves a chance of respecting the Paris Agreement and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
Everything that concerns local administrations can no longer remain in the blind spot and must be significantly better supported, affirmed the sixty states united within a new coalition aiming to make up for the delay by integrating local climate action to climate policies. Denmark is also the first state to require all municipalities to adopt a concerted local climate action plan consistent with the national target. The contribution of municipalities to reducing emissions is frankly impressive, and local plans even aim to exceed the national target, i.e. to bring about more than 70% reduction by 2030.
Quebec, largely due to the growth of emissions in the transport sector, is not on the right trajectory, even in the urban areas of Quebec and Montreal.
This should not be a surprise: we know well that we are late, both in developing the public transport offer and in implementing low climate impact development. For 10 years, there has been more talk than action on these two issues, although this has become a stated priority for a growing number of experts and institutions. The clock is ticking to accelerate implementation, especially since inaction is not only putting us behind schedule. It sets us back, since in the meantime, businesses and families are making location choices in a context of shortage of public transportation and complete living environments.
Lyon, France, provides an inspiring example of what a determined regional government, well supported by the state, can do in just a few years. Between 2006 and 2015, on a metropolitan scale, or around one and a half million people, the car ownership rate fell by 11%. The share of car use has fallen by six points, and that of walking has increased by four points! An impressive result which shows the success of an approach based as much on the massive development of public transport (four metro lines, seven tram lines) as on urban consolidation — between 2010 and 2015, 88% of new homes were built in sectors deemed to be priorities.
Results for the Lyon metropolitan area: an 11% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from transport between 1990 and 2016, and this is only the beginning! In Montreal, between 1990 and 2019, we saw an increase of 18%.
If we are serious about the intention, displayed by the recent National Architecture and Land Use Planning Policy, of stopping urban sprawl and focusing on consolidation, we must give ourselves the means to do so. Volunteer cities must have access to massive financial support to support the creation of eco-districts on urban wastelands and the densification of underused land. When it comes to transport, we must stop procrastinating, guarantee sustainable funding for public transport companies and resolutely invest in efficient and attractive networks, which will support the sustainable mobility of the future.
The strength of this approach to urban transformation is that, compared to the electrification of transport, for example, it does not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It increases the options available to the population to cope with the increasing cost of living and constitutes an almost inexhaustible source of energy savings, a resource which will become more and more precious.
We have better things to do with our electricity than to run six million cars that each cost their owners nearly $10,000 per year. We will need it to support important economic sectors, heat our homes, schools and hospitals, and even sell it to our neighbors to support their own energy transition. As for money, maybe it’s time to stop wasting it on supposed automotive freedom. As more and more Quebecers have to reduce their food budget, giving them access to more economical transportation options, even if a little more restrictive, must become a government responsibility.
Sustainable urban development is an essential choice for the environment and health, but also a promising economic strategy. Cities are on the front line to make this necessary transition, and more and more of them are determined to undertake it. We must support and support them. For the moment, we are not up to the task.