The best way to effect the most sustainable good is to focus on the places where the largest amounts of energy are being used. In the next 20 years, urban populations around the world are expected to soar from three billion to five billion. If the current rate of urbanization holds steady, cities will account for nearly three-quarters of the world’s energy demand by 2030, [1] making them critical areas of focus for sustainable development.
So, cities aren’t going to have to be made a little greener; they’re going to have to be rethought from the ground up—getting the most out of the land, water and energy they do use.