European major cities can play a crucial role in raising ambitions for the climate fight at the national level within the EU, according to a new report from researchers at the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU). The report, prepared in collaboration with the UN, points out that the national climate plans in EU countries, including Denmark, often do not contain specific strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in cities. Professor Nicola Tollin, who led the research group, emphasizes that even though cities are not specifically mentioned in the national climate plans, it does not mean that urban climate initiatives are insignificant. “It is important to recognize the concrete action plans of cities because they can inspire national level to higher ambitions,” says Tollin. He believes that if a country sees what a city can achieve, it can motivate the whole country to raise the bar. Along with the release of the report, several European city mayors, including Copenhagen’s Lord Mayor Sophie Hæstorp Andersen (S), have called on the EU to allocate more climate funds to cities. Andersen highlights that Copenhagen expects to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2025, which is a more ambitious goal than Denmark’s national goal of a 70 percent reduction by 2030. “Most cities have reduced their emissions faster than their respective national states,” she says. The report points out that high-income countries like Denmark and other EU member states often omit cities in their national climate plans. This is in contrast to low- and middle-income countries like China, India, and Turkey, where cities are often part of national strategies. It is estimated that around 35 percent of the world’s countries either mention cities very little or not at all in their climate plans, which according to Tollin is problematic, as cities account for 70 percent of global energy consumption and 60 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Professor Tollin urges Denmark to become a pioneer by including cities in the national climate plans, which can inspire the rest of the EU to act collectively.

Read the danish version here