Decarbonization through Urban Planning

What is the relationship between decarbonization and urban planning?

In current days, decarbonization is the talk of the town especially when it comes to research society. People have studied decarbonization majorly with respect to the energy sector, construction sector, and transportation sector. But does decarbonization have to do with urban planning? What is the relationship between decarbonization and urban planning?

Decarbonization

Decarbonization refers to the process of reducing carbon dioxide (CO?) emissions resulting from human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. The goal is to achieve a lower carbon footprint by transitioning to low-carbon or carbon-free energy sources, enhancing energy efficiency, and implementing carbon capture and storage technologies.

"Decarbonisation involves reducing the carbon intensity of energy production and consumption, thereby decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide (CO?) emitted per unit of energy consumed."- IEA

Urban Planning

Urban planning is the process by which cities and towns are designed and organized, including the arrangement and construction of buildings, infrastructure, public spaces, and transportation systems. The goal of urban planning is to create functional, sustainable, and aesthetically pleasing environments that meet the needs of the community. This discipline involves a range of activities, including land use planning, zoning, environmental protection, and the development of policies and regulations that guide growth and development.

"Urban planning is a technical and political process concerned with the development and use of land, the protection and use of the environment, public welfare, and the design of the urban environment, including air, water, and the infrastructure passing into and out of urban areas."- American Planning Association

Relationship between Urban planning and CO? emissions

The key aspects of urban planning are landuse planning, transportation planning, infrastructure planning, environmental planning, housing, urban design, zoning regulations, and community engagement. All these aspects relate to CO? emissions. For instance, different land uses contribute differently in terms of CO? emission, this particular concept is called land emissions. In such cases, industrial land uses contribute more than residential land uses and both of them individually contribute more than parks. There are studies that contribute knowledge about land emission by individual land uses but not as a whole. The transportation sector is one of the highest CO? contributors, but planning helps in more effective utilization of resources. Therefore, the meticulous and well-researched policy suggestions lead to Decarbonization, which is reducing of CO? emissions.

Decarbonisation through Urban Planning

Below are a few suggestions that might lead to decarbonization:

1. Land Use Planning

• Sprawl vs. Density: Low-density sprawl increases reliance on cars, raising CO? emissions. Dense, mixed-use areas reduce the need for driving, promoting walking, biking, and public transit, which lowers emissions.

2. Transportation Planning

• Public Transit: Developing efficient public transit systems reduces the number of cars on the road, cutting CO? emissions.
• Active Transportation: Designing safe pedestrian and bike paths encourages walking and cycling, which are zero-emission modes of transport.
• Traffic Flow: Improved traffic management reduces congestion and idling, decreasing emissions.

3. Environmental Planning

• Green Spaces: Urban green spaces absorb CO? and mitigate the urban heat island effect, reducing energy needs for cooling.
• Water Management: Efficient water systems lower the energy required for water treatment and distribution, reducing emissions.

4. Urban Design

• Energy-Efficient Buildings: Designing buildings for energy efficiency reduces energy consumption for heating, cooling, and lighting, thus lowering CO? emissions.
• Sustainable Materials: Using low-carbon materials in construction decreases the carbon footprint of buildings.

5. Zoning Regulations

• Mixed-Use Zones: Allowing mixed-use development reduces commuting distances and supports public transit, walking, and cycling, leading to lower emissions.
• Green Building Codes: Enforcing green building standards ensures new constructions are energy-efficient and have a reduced environmental impact.

6. Community Engagement

• Awareness and Behavior: Engaging the community raises awareness about sustainable practices, encouraging residents to adopt low-carbon behaviors.
• Local Initiatives: Community involvement can lead to local projects like tree planting and energy conservation efforts, which help reduce CO? emissions.

Work done and future scope

These are some general comments by incorporating these aspects into urban planning, cities can effectively reduce their CO? emissions and promote sustainability. However, each topic here is a topic of research and requires policy recommendations. People are giving roadmaps at different scales of how decarbonization can be done. Some examples are shown below: Fig 1 suggests Key steps to decarbonize at the company level, Fig 2 suggests a roadmap to decarbonization (general), and Fig 3 suggests GHG emissions across the lifecycle of a product. But nothing so far has been done about how decarbonization can be done through urban planning and policy planning.

Conclusion

Urban planning not only enhances cities by improving livability, and ensuring access to essential services, recreational areas, and diverse housing options. It reduces traffic congestion through efficient transportation systems and promotes sustainability by integrating green spaces and energy-efficient designs. Community engagement in planning processes fosters social cohesion and encourages sustainable practices, benefiting both residents and the environment. Further research is required on the decarbonization in urban planning aspects. Proper urban planning will lead to decarbonization by reducing reliance on fossil fuels through efficient public transportation, green building designs, and sustainable land use. This holistic approach minimizes CO? emissions and promotes a healthier, more sustainable urban environment.