WEBVTT

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What would the world look like
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
by three more degrees Celsius,

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Shanghai, a city
of 24 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
beneath rising sea levels.

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Globally, 2019 was the second
hottest year on record.

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Cities all throughout the world

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experienced record-setting
summer temperatures.

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In June 2019, temperatures
in Churu, India,

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exceeded 120 degrees Fahrenheit,

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to the point that
the government warned citizens

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to avoid drinking coffee, tea, and alcohol
out of fear of overheating.

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Heat waves are becoming more severe
and commonplace due to climate change,

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projected to lead to deaths at the same
rate as all infectious diseases combined.

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This map here

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shows the increase in the severity
and prevalence of heat waves

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if the world follows
a moderate warming scenario.

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By 2050, summertime highs
of 95 degrees Fahrenheit,

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or 35 degrees Celsius,

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will become the new normal
in nearly 1,000 cities,

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triple the number of cities that currently
experience these sweltering temperatures.

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But the irony is that cities
are not just affected by climate change,

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they're also causing it.

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Cities consume between 60 and 80 percent
of global energy resources

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and account for approximately 70 percent
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 fossil fuel-based

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carbon dioxide emissions

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and also correspond
to major urban centers.

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Aside from cities' energy consumption,

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growing urban areas
convert the planet's green surfaces

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to buildings and pavement,

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and these can absorb
more of the sun's energy

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than the natural grasslands and forests
that they've replaced,

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making urban areas hotter
than their surrounding environments.

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This phenomenon is called
the "urban heat island effect."

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Here in Singapore, downtown neighborhoods
can be as much as seven degrees Celsius,

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or 13 degrees Fahrenheit,

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hotter than the rainforests
that were once here.

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While it's true that cities
are contributing to climate change,

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they're also key actors in forging
low carbon emission pathways.

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In dense cities like New York City
and Tokyo, for instance,

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the average resident

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is responsible for over two tons
of carbon dioxide emissions per capita.

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This is less than a 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
to tackle climate change,

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with ambitious policies

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that often exceed the requirements
of national governments.

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Take Copenhagen, for example.

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It's committed to become
carbon neutral by 2025,

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and Glasgow in Scotland also plans
to become carbon neutral by 2030.

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Today, there are more than 10,000 cities
all around the world

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that are committing
to their own ambitious climate actions,

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plans that include
emissions reduction targets,

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clean energy and sustainable
transit projects,

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and also energy efficiency policies

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that can save people and cities
money, energy, and emissions.

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Recent analysis shows
that just 6,000 cities,

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combined with regions and companies,

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are undertaking climate initiatives
that can reduce global emissions

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

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That's roughly 4 percent
of the world's total annual emissions

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on top of what national
governments have pledged.

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And this is just the start.

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Imagine what could happen
if 20,000 cities were to band together

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to curb climate change.

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While this potential for cities' climate
action sounds really promising,

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cities must work to make sure

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that these policies
are implemented fairly and equitably.

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Where you live in a city,
your income, your race -

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research is showing

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that these factors can determine
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 of environmental burdens

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like air pollution and climate change.

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We observe these
neighborhood-level disparities

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particularly clearly in these
side-by-side images of Los Angeles,

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comparing income on the left
and tree cover on the right.

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The darkest green neighborhood
has an average annual income

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of over 100,000 US dollars per person.

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And over 70 percent of it has tree cover.

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The blue neighborhoods
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 five percent tree cover.

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Seventy percent 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
with social and economic well-being.

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They can also reduce crime
and foster social cohesion.

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Trees also can help
to filter harmful air pollution

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and provide evaporative cooling and shade

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and relief for some
of these high temperatures.

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So not only are those poorer neighborhoods

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at a greater disadvantage
from access to green space,

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but they're also more vulnerable
to air pollution and climate change.

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We can observe particularly
pronounced disparities

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in urban heat according to race.

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Our latest research shows that 97 percent
of major urban areas in the United States

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are exposing Black populations
and people of color

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to a full degree Celsius
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
of Greenville, South Carolina -

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unlike the name suggests
it is not green for everyone.

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The hottest areas of the county
shown on the map in red

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correspond with the highest percentages
of Black and poor populations.

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And we're seeing similar 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 strategize and develop plans

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that can ensure that climate benefits

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are provided to all
of their citizens equally.

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Take Bogotá, the capital city
of Colombia, for example.

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It has one of the most
extensive bike networks

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in all of Latin America,

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connecting people to jobs,
education centers,

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and recreational opportunities.

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A new bike highway project can allow
for around 42,000 daily bicycle trips

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and potentially avoid 270,000 tons
of greenhouse gas emissions.

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In Africa, where many cities
lack universal access to electricity,

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mini-grids are providing
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
has to start in cities.

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Many cities are starting
to flip the script on climate change,

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proving to be part of the solution
and not just the problem,

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and bringing the kind
of innovative solutions that we need

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for a more just and sustainable world.

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Thank you.