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- What would the world look like

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if extreme climate change becomes reality?

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Well, here's just one example.

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If temperatures were to rise[br]by three more degrees Celsius,

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Shanghai, a city of 24[br]million people in China

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will be wiped off the map.

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And it's not just the only coastal city,

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that's at risk of disappearing[br]beneath rising sea levels.

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Globally 2019 was the second[br]hottest year on record.

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Cities all throughout the world,

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experienced record setting[br]summer temperatures.

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In June, 2019, temperatures[br]in Churu, India,

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exceeded 120 degrees Fahrenheit,

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to the point that the[br]government warned citizens

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to avoid drinking coffee, tea, and alcohol

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at a fear of overheating.

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Heat waves are becoming more severe

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and come in place due to climate change.

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Projected to lead to[br]deaths at the same rate

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as all infectious diseases combined.

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This map here, shows the[br]increase in the severity

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and prevalence of heat[br]waves if the world follows

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a moderate warming scenario.

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By 2050, summertime highs[br]of 95 degrees Fahrenheit,

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or 35 degrees Celsius,[br]will become the new normal,

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in nearly 1000 cities[br]triple the number of cities

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that currently experience[br]these sweltering temperatures.

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But the irony is that[br]cities are not just affected

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by climate change,[br]they're also causing it.

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Cities consume between 60 and[br]80% of global energy resources

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and account for approximately 70%

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of global carbon dioxide emissions.

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As we can see here in this map,

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the light blue and the yellow areas

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correspond to those with the highest

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fossil fuel based carbon[br]dioxide emissions,

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and also correspond to[br]major urban centers.

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Aside from cities energy[br]consumption, growing urban areas,

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convert the planets green surfaces

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to buildings and pavement,[br]and these can absorb

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more of the sun's energy,

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than the natural grasslands and forests

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that they've replaced,[br]making urban areas hotter

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than their surrounding environments.

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This phenomenon is called[br]the urban heat island effect.

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Here in Singapore, downtown neighborhoods

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can be as much as seven degrees Celsius

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or 13 degrees Fahrenheit hotter,

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than the rain forests that were once here.

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While it's true that[br]cities are contributing

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to climate change, they're also key actors

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in forging low carbon emission pathways.

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In dense cities like New York[br]city and Tokyo for instance,

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the average resident is responsible

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for over two tons of carbon[br]dioxide emissions per capita.

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This is less than a[br]single passenger car emits

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in a single year in the United States.

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Cities around the world are stepping up

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to tackle climate change,[br]with ambitious policies

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that often exceed the requirements[br]of national governments.

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Take Copenhagen for example,

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it's committed to become[br]carbon neutral by 2025

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and Glasgow in Scotland also plans

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to become carbon neutral by 2030.

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Today, there are more than 10,000 cities

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all around the world, that are committing

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to their own ambitious climate actions,

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plans that include[br]emissions reduction targets,

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clean energy and sustainable[br]transit projects,

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and also energy efficiency policies,

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that can save people and cities,

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money, energy, and emissions.

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Recent analysis shows[br]there's just 6,000 cities

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combined with regions and companies,

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are undertaking climate initiatives

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that can reduce global emissions

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by up to two gigatons of carbon[br]dioxide equivalent in 2030.

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That's roughly 4% of the[br]world's total annual emissions

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on top of what national[br]governments have pledged.

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And this is just the start,[br]imagine what could happen

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if 20,000 cities were to band together

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to curb climate change.

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While this potential for[br]city's climate action

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sounds really promising,[br]cities must work to make sure

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that these policies are[br]implemented fairly and equitably.

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Where you live in a city,[br]your income, your race,

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research is showing that[br]these factors can determine

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your access to environmental benefits

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like green space and sustainable transit,

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and they can also determine your share

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of environmental burdens[br]like air pollution

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and climate change.

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We observe these neighborhood[br]level disparities,

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particularly clearly, in[br]the side-by-side images

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of Los Angeles, comparing[br]income on the left,

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and tree cover on the right.

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The darkest green neighborhood[br]has an average annual income

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of over a hundred thousand[br]U.S. dollars per person.

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And over 70% of it has tree cover.

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The blue neighborhoods[br]towards the bottom of the map,

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only have a third of the income per person

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and less than 5% tree[br]cover, 70% versus five.

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This disparity has real consequences.

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Green spaces are often public spaces,

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and they're known to be associated

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with social and economic wellbeing.

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They can also reduce crime[br]and foster social cohesion.

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Trees also can help to[br]filter harmful air pollution

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and provide evaporative cooling and shade

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and relief for some of[br]these high temperatures.

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So not only are those poor neighborhoods

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at a greater disadvantage[br]from access to green space,

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but they're also more[br]vulnerable to air pollution

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and climate change.

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We can observe particularly[br]pronounced disparities

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and urban heat according to race.

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Our latest research shows that 97%

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of major urban areas in the United States,

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are exposing black populations[br]and people of color,

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to a full degree Celsius[br]higher of urban heat

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than their white counterparts.

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Take a look at this map of my hometown

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of Greenville, South Carolina,[br]unlike the name suggests

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it is not green for everyone.

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The hottest areas of the[br]county shown on the map in red

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correspond with the highest percentages

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of black and poor populations.

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And we're seeing similar[br]patterns throughout cities,

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all across the United States.

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To address these inequalities,

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cities are starting to[br]strategize and develop plans,

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that can ensure that climate benefits

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are provided to all of[br]their citizens equally.

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Take Bogota, the capital[br]city of Columbia for example,

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it has one of the most[br]extensive bike networks

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in all of Latin America,[br]connecting people to jobs,

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education centers, and[br]recreational opportunities.

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A new bike highway project can allow

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for around 42,000 daily bicycle[br]trips, and potentially avoid

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270,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

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In Africa, where many cities

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lack universal access to electricity,

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many grids are providing[br]approximately 73 million households

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with clean electricity.

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So as we can see from these examples,

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tackling climate change[br]has to start in cities.

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Many cities are starting[br]to flip the script

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on climate change, proving[br]to be part of the solution

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and not just the problem.

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And bringing the kind of[br]innovative solutions that we need

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for a more just and[br]sustainable world, thank you.