Cities are our future.
By the year 2050,
more than 70% of the world's population will live in one.
But how will our world cope under the strain of 3 billion more city duelers.
Together, cities already consume 80% of material and energy resources,
and produce 75% of all carbon emissions.
The high concentration of people and infrastructure
make them vulnerable to the impacts of climate change,
like raising sea levels, higher temperatures, and storm damage.
And in the developing world, many cities are growing faster
than the infrastructure that is needed to support them.
Sustainability is the key and cities are striving for it.
When cities are sustainable,
they are more competitive,
more attractive to people and investments,
more able to lift their citizens out of poverty
and provide them with a great place to live, work and play.
All over the world,
cities rich and vibrant in their own cultures
are shaping their own ambitious plans for their sustainable futures
but sharing common aims:
to take real action on climate change,
to encourage economic development
to the benefit not the determent of the environment,
to become more resilient to disasters and the changing climate,
to improve the quality of life and well-being of citizens
fostering supportive and inclusive communities
in which everyone can thrive,
and to take advantage of smart technologies
to improve the efficiency of infrastructure
and provide citizens with better, more responsive services.
But how?
Even the most advanced cities can't make this journey alone.
And that's where business can help.
All over the world,
behind the drive towards a sustainable urban future
are businesses dedicated to finding and implementing the best solutions.
They're leading the way,
when it comes to creating integrated systems of urban infrastructure
where buildings, energy, mobility, water runways and communications
operate more efficiently and sustainably for the benefit of everyone.
But too often their expertise is introduced too late
in their planning life cycle to be of full benefit.