ASSIGNMENT ON IN RESPONSE TO THE THEME OF WORLD HABITAT DAY 2021 “ACCELERATING URBAN ACTION FOR CARBON FREE WORLD” PREPARED BY AKINTOLA, AZEEZ OYEDEJI LECTURER IN CHARGE: DR. D. B. OJO DEPARTMENT OF URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING FACULTY OF ENVRONMENTAL DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT OBAFEMI AWOLOWO UNIVERSITY, ILE-IFE, NIGERIA NOVEMBER, 2021. IN RESPONSE TO THE THEME OF WORLD HABITAT DAY 2021 “ACCELERATING URBAN ACTION FOR CARBON FREE WORLD” THE ISSUES Cities are responsible for some 70 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions with transport, buildings, energy, industries and waste management accounting for the bulk of urban greenhouse gas emissions. CO2 is the primary driver of climate change. Accelerating De-carbonization of the Energy System says most near-term reductions in emissions would come from the electricity sector, electrification of vehicles, and home heating. Other industries such as aviation, shipping, steel, cement, and chemicals manufacturing will need further innovation to achieve costeffective de-carbonization. POOR DOCUMENTATION OF POOR AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES CARBON EMISSION Poor documentation of carbon emission by poor and developing countries has leads to less impact and commitment by global bodies to act pro-actively PROXY WAR WITH CARBON EMISSION DATA The United State of America and China have been in face off with each other for a very long time. Recently both countries are releasing orchestrated data on carbon emission to further fuel their differences FINANCIAL SUPPORT Most developing countries are in serious internal crisis embroidered with domestic and external debt funding and moving to net zero global carbon is a heavy task for such countries. CARBON ENTANGLEMENT That governments everywhere on behalf of their citizens have major stakes in bringing fossil fuel to market and taking their share of the rents in national revenue. RESEARCH ACTIONS 1. Increase renewable electricity generation twenty-fold. This will ensure that there is enough electricity both to meet today’s needs and to provide for new uses of electric power, such as battery cars. In periods of surplus generation, I propose that we turn spare electricity into hydrogen. We can then use this hydrogen to make power when wind and sun aren’t available. 2. Massively improve the insulation of houses. Our focus should be on the homes of the less privileged in order to improve living standards and health, using ‘deep refurbishment’ techniques, with most components built offsite and then transported to the buildings 3. Electrify the transport system, starting with cars and then moving on to heavy vehicles. Because of the very high carbon footprint of making cars in the first place, prioritize public transport, car-sharing, walking and cycling in order to reduce vehicle ownership. Switch shipping to electricity and to hydrogen made from renewables. We have to assume aviation continues to use liquid hydrocarbons, but we can make its emissions nearly zero carbon by creating fuels synthetically from hydrogen and captured CO2. 4. Move the food system away from meat, due to the impact on emissions of cows and other animals. Shift to forms of agriculture that do not require animal cultivation or artificial fertilizers. Move towards indoor cultivation of plants, to meat substitutes and some organic agriculture. 5. Make the fashion business more sustainable. Clothes manufacture is one of the most damaging sources of greenhouse gases and we need to urgently reduce its effects. It is hard to avoid emissions from either cotton or synthetic fabrics, so the best solution is to buy fewer and longer-lasting clothes 6. Change technologies for production of steel, cement and fertilizers. The key change needed is to use renewable hydrogen as the heat source in manufacturing, or as an ingredient for making ammonia-based fertilizers. 7. Increase the area of woodland, raising its percentage of trees cover, this will ensure that forests increase the carbon dioxide they capture through photosynthesis, offsetting those greenhouse gas emissions we find it hard to avoid. 8. Collect carbon dioxide directly from the air and either sequester it safely or use it to make synthetic, very low carbon chemicals, using the hydrogen generated with surplus electricity. 9. Introduce a meaningful carbon tax, remitting its proceeds to the less well-off, with the principal objective of incentivizing the big fossil fuel companies to switch from oil and gas to zero carbon energy. 10. Research and plan geo-engineering techniques. The world will need to have safe, equitable means to artificially hold down global temperatures. POLICY ACTIONS 1. Setting an official emissions budget for carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to support the goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 2. An economy-wide price on carbon, in addition to other policies focusing on particular sectors 3. A new National Transition Task Force to evaluate how best to support labor sectors and communities that will be affected by the energy transition 4. A new Office of Equitable Energy Transitions to establish criteria, measure, and report back on net-zero transition impacts and equity considerations 5. A new independent National Transition Corporation to provide support and opportunities for displaced workers and affected communities 6. A new Green Bank, to ensure the required capital is available for the net-zero transition and to mobilize greater private investment 7. A comprehensive education and training initiative to develop the workforce required for the net-zero transition, to fuel future innovation, and to provide new high-quality jobs 8. Setting national standards for clean electricity and electrification and efficiency standards for vehicles, appliances, and buildings REFERENCES Chris Goodall -what we need to do now for a zero carbon society www.carboncommentary.com www.natinalacademics.org.news www.eciu.net www.unhabitat.org www.oecd.org
