Andrew Sudmant

• Research Associate at University of Edinburgh

Despite mounting evidence that heatwaves aggravate urban air pollution, with substantial impacts on public health, comparatively little research has addressed Sub-Saharan African contexts. In this study, we focused on Kigali, Rwanda, to assess the relationship between extreme heat events and concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅), nitrog...

Rapidly growing cities in the Global South are characterised by high levels of vulnerability and informality and are expected to bear a disproportionate share of the costs of a changing climate. The confluence of climate change impacts, inequitable urbanisation processes, and under-development emphasise the need for accelerated urban transitions in...

Co-benefits are central to the case for climate action but are side-lined in many economic analyses. This paper presents an evaluation of three dimensions of the costs and benefits of climate change interventions in six urban regions of the UK. Findings indicate that meeting the UK’s 2033–2037 climate targets could yield £164 billion in total benef...

Cities and other human settlements are major contributors to climate change and are highly vulnerable to its impacts. They are also uniquely positioned to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lead adaptation efforts. These compound challenges and opportunities require a comprehensive perspective on the public policy of human settlements. Drawing on...

Local actors have growing prominence in climate governance but key capacities and powers remain with national policymakers. Coordination between national and local climate action is therefore of increasing importance. Underappreciated in existing academic and policy literature, coordination between actors at different scales can be affected not onl...

Current approaches to the provision of shelter, largely driven by national governments and/or the commercial private sector, continue to fall short of what is needed to reduce housing deficits. The number of people without access to adequate housing continues to grow, especially in cities of the Global South. Increasing attention is being paid to a...

Rapid, systemic change is needed to achieve zero emissions, but there is uncertainty about how or where to intervene in urban systems. Drawing on the work of Donella Meadows, we apply a Leverage Points Perspective to identify and characterize points of system-level intervention that emerge from a study of climate action in Calgary, Canada, which wa...

The delivery of urban basic infrastructure services is often guided by the modern infrastructure ideal, which aims for technical innovation, economic efficiency and uniformity through long-term, centralized management approaches. In rapidly growing urban centres of the global South, however, heterogeneous infrastructure configurations have long inv...

Only 1% of the population living in urban areas in the low and middleincome countries breathe air that meets WHO air quality guidelines.Rising demand for mobility is a central cause of declining air quality, but encouraging mobility is fundamental for driving social and economic development. • Using state-of-the-art air quality monitoring equipment...

Only 1% of the population living in urban areas in the low and middle-income countries breathe air that meets WHO air quality guidelines.Rising demand for mobility is a central cause of declining air quality, but encouraging mobility is fundamental for driving social and economic development. • Using state-of-the-art air quality monitoring equipmen...

Cities are at the forefront of the battle against climate change. However, intercity comparisons and responsibility allocations among cities are hindered because cost- and time-effective methods to calculate the carbon footprints of global cities have yet to be developed. Here, we establish a hybrid method integrating top-down input–output analysis...

Climate emergency declarations made by local governments often include targets to reach net zero emissions, but it is unclear how these targets contribute to national commitments to reduce emissions or whether these targets are achievable. At the national level, the UK has set the ambitious target to reduce emissions by 78% by 2035, however, the UK...

If national climate plans match the priorities of the average community, to what extent does it matter that many communities are very different from the average? Using a dataset of c.33,000 community GHG footprints from Lower Level Super Output Areas in England made-up of 12 emissions sources, this analysis assesses the consequences of priority are...

This report compares the benefits of place-specific and place-agnostic approaches for the first time. It shows significantly better outcomes when places tailor their net zero delivery to the needs and opportunities of the area with the potential to contribute to levelling up. Recommendations for key next steps towards a coordinated approach are pro...

Continued urban population expansion will be a defining challenge for climate change mitigation, and global sustainability more generally, over the coming decades. In this context, an important but underexplored issue concerns the relationship between the scale of urban areas and their carbon emissions. This paper employs the urban Kaya relation an...

Using the highest quality dataset on urban air pollution put together for a city in East Africa, analysis in this policy paper explores Kigali's Car-free days program and the COVID-19 lockdown and their impacts on air quality.

There is significant potential for reducing energy use and emissions from buildings through energy efficiency retrofits. However, a number of barriers, including long payback periods and uncertainties around business models and technologies, restrict large scale implementation. A recent joint project, piloting green energy schemes and low-carbon in...

Sustainable urban mobility is an essential component of sustainable development but requires careful planning in rapidly growing urban areas. This paper investigates the value and limitations of Big Data for evaluating transport policies, plans, and projects in Hubballi-Dharwad, India. Results show how Big Data can enable the outcomes of transport...

An investigation of the economic case for action in buildings, transport and industry in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

This policy brief presents lessons from Mexico City and Guadalajara, where pioneering urban cycling schemes are redefining mobility and liveability in urban Mexico. Through an inclusive approach that recognises the diverse needs of its citizens, and the varied barriers to active transport that they face, policy-makers in Mexico City and Guadalajara...

In Mexico, ambitious action in the housing sector is building adequate, safe and affordable housing while reducing GHG emissions. A key program in this area has been EcoCasa, in which housing developers receive concessional loans and technical assistance for constructing energy efficient low- income housing with at least 20 per cent fewer emissions...

This policy brief describes the evolution of local climate adaptation processes, policies and actions in Xalapa, Mexico. By directing the implementation of a diverse set of adaptation strategies, this case study shows how the institutionalisation of local climate policies can foster incremental and more ambitious action over time. Different project...

An assessment of the technical measures than can support Belfast's transition to a net-zero carbon economy.

An assessment of the technical measures than can support Edinburght's transition to a net-zero carbon economy.

An assessment of the technical measures than can support Leeds' transition to a net-zero carbon economy.

Approximately one in five trips in Kigali are taken by petrol-fuelled motorcycle taxis, contributing to poor air quality, high demand for imported fuel, and rising Green House Gas emissions that contribute to climate change. • This brief analyses the potential impact of scaling up the use of electric motorbikes to 100% (as a proportion of all motor...

Transport is one of the few sectors of the economy that is continuing to see greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions grow in a majority of nations in both the Global North and Global South. With urbanization continuing, low carbon urban transport policies (LCUTP) are therefore critical for preventing dangerous climate change effects. At the same time, LCUTP...

Over the next decade, banks and the financial sector as a whole will need to show how they are aligning their balance sheets with the UK’s net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target, how they are enabling households and companies to become resilient to climate change impacts, and how the process of often disruptive transition can be steered so that i...

Worldwide, urban areas consume between 60% and 70% of total primary energy,1 of which buildings account for close to half. With trillions of tonnes of carbon-intensive concrete already poured, and many of the buildings that will be operational for decades to come already built, improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings through retrofit...

The vulnerability of Chinese cities to water-related disasters is being exacerbated by climate change. To counter the effects of flooding, water scarcity and water pollution, the government has been trialling innovative green solutions. This policy brief looks at how the “Sponge City” approach has been implemented in Wuhan.

Reliable, affordable and safe transport is key to making cities sustainable. At present, however, many cities are beset by congestion, inadequate connectivity, wasted public space and poor air quality. This policy brief presents lessons from Shanghai, where the world’s largest bicycle-sharing scheme has been implemented to address the challenges pr...

Secure land and property rights are essential for improving the livelihoods of the poor and ending poverty. Effective and equitable land governance can also contribute to economic development, domestic resource mobilisation and climate change resilience. Promoting fair and transparent land tenure systems should therefore be a priority for national...

This paper offers lessons from Kampala, Uganda, where community-based organisations and small enterprises play an important role in municipal solid waste management, especially in informal settlements. One example from Kampala is the Luchacos cooperative, which uses organic waste to produce biomass briquettes – an energy source for cooking that sim...

Better waste management could cut up to a fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions, making it an essential part of delivering the Paris climate agreement. A waste management strategy which supports the 15 to 20 million people who informally work in the waste sector globally can also contribute to achieving the first Sustainable Development Goal (SD...

Providing access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all is the seventh Sustainable Development Goal. The New Urban Agenda also commits to the provision of inclusive and safe streets that are free from crime and violence, including gender-based violence. Solar-powered street lights can contribute to these goals by increasing...

Climate change is an urgent challenge that requires action at the national, regional and local levels. However, a perception that impacts on human wellbeing and the economy will only be felt in the distant future, and a belief that climate action would require reducing attention towards a host of other environmental and societal issues, stand in th...

Conventional approaches to solid waste management have often proven unaffordable and ineffective. This paper analyses the lessons from Ahmedabad, India. It finds that clear national leadership that supports municipal authorities to integrate unionised informal waste pickers into formal municipal waste management can deliver competitive recycling ra...

Urban plans and infrastructure investments in sub‐Saharan Africa need to support human and economic development, while also helping countries and cities stay within the global carbon budget. To date, however, no analyses have focused on the economic costs and benefits of pursuing less carbon‐intensive urban growth in sub‐Saharan African cities. Thi...

Over half the population of the world live in urban areas. This means that efforts to meet human development goals and sustain economic growth must be concentrated in cities. However, the pursuit of more prosperous, inclusive and sustainable urban development is complicated by climate change, which multiplies existing environmental risks, undermine...

Background Climate change is an urgent challenge that requires immediate action at the national, regional and local levels. However, a perception that impacts on human well-being and the economy will only be felt in the distant future, and a belief that climate action would require reducing attention towards a host of other environmental and societ...

Calgary is a city of more than one million people, with a GDP of more than $100 billion a year and total annual expenditure on energy of $2.6 billion a year. As a city, Calgary is committed to reduce its 2005 level of carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. This report examines the economic case for Calgary switching to a more energy efficient and lower c...

This paper analyses lessons from Kochi and Trivandrum, Kerala, India, where municipal government and community partnerships on house building projects have led to better quality new housing stock while reducing costs and environmental impacts. It finds that by placing participation at the heart of their processes, these cities have achieved 100 per...

This paper analyses lessons from India, where electricity consumption is set to triple by 2040. It finds that clear national leadership supporting municipal authorities to incorporate innovative business models that help lowincome households to access renewable energy is critical. If new approaches used in New Delhi were adopted nationwide, they wo...

Meeting the commitments made in the Paris Agreement on climate change will require different approaches in different countries. However, a common feature in many contexts relates to the continued and sometimes increasing significance of the carbon footprints of urban centres. These footprints consider both production or territorial (i.e. Scope 1 an...

Achieving net zero emissions by 2050, as envisioned in the Paris Agreement, will require radical changes to urban form and function. Securing the necessary commitments and resources will be easier in the presence of a compelling economic case for mitigation. Focusing on Recife in Brazil, this article evaluates a wide range of low-carbon measures un...

The rapid urbanisation of the twentieth century, along with the spread of high-consumption urban lifestyles, has led to cities becoming the dominant drivers of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing these impacts is crucial, but production-based frameworks of carbon measurement and mitigation—which encompass only a limited part of...

A significant portion of finance for a low-carbon transition is expected to come from private sources. This may be particularly the case in the transport sector, where there is a large private sector presence and substantial investment needs, and in low-income countries, where climate action is unlikely to be the first priority for public finances....

Research has begun to uncover the extent that greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to cities, as well as the scope for cities to contribute to emissions reduction. But assessments of the economics of urban climate mitigation are lacking, and are currently based on selective case studies or specific sectors. Further analysis is crucial to enab...

Fast-growing cities in the Global South have an important role to play in climate change mitigation. However, city governments typically focus on more pressing socio-economic needs, such as reducing urban poverty. To what extent can social, economic and climate objectives be aligned? Focusing on Kolkata in India, we consider the economic case for l...

China’s commitment to the UNFCCC to peak its emissions by 2030, or sooner, signaled a long anticipated shift in China’s model of development with far reaching consequences. Cities in China, and particularly the residential sector in cities, will be charged with making significant reductions in emissions growth even as rates of urbanization continue...

Kigali has a population of 1.1 million and an economy worth RWF 2.0 trillion (USD 3.0 billion). Our research found that the total energy bill for the city was RWF 206.1 billion (USD 301.0 million), meaning that 10.1% of everything earned in the local economy is spent on energy. With 'business as usual' trends including rapid population growth, risi...

Cities are central to the fight against climate change, but the IPCC recently noted that many cities — and particularly those in the developing world — lack the institutional, financial and technical capacities needed to switch to low emission development paths. Based on detailed case studies of three Asian cities, this paper finds that the adoptio...

Qual é a melhor maneira de transformar uma cidade por um caminho energético mais eficiente, com base no desenvolvimento em baixo carbono? Mesmo onde há grande interesse em tal transição, existem grandes obstáculos que podem impedir as cidades de trabalhar em uma agenda a longo prazo. A ausência de uma base empírica confiável e localmente apropriada...

Recife has a population of 1.5 million and an economy worth BRL 35.60 billion (US$16.55 billion). Our research found that the total energy bill for the city was BRL 3.40 billion (US$1.45 billion) - meaning that 8.7% of everything earned in the local economy is spent on energy. With 'business as usual trends' including rapid population growth, proje...

A growing body of literature suggests that an economic case may exist for investment in large-scale climate change mitigation. At the same time, however, investment is persistently falling well short of the levels required to prevent dangerous climate change, suggesting that economically attractive mitigation opportunities are being missed. To unde...

Cities are engines of economic growth and social change. About 85% of global GDP in 2015 was generated in cities. By 2050, two-thirds of the global population will live in urban areas. Compact, connected and efficient cities can generate stronger growth and job creation, alleviate poverty and reduce investment costs, as well as improve quality of l...

There is increasing interest in the potential of cities to contribute to climate mitigation. Multiple assessments have evaluated the scale and composition of urban GHG emissions, while others have evaluated some aspects of urban mitigation potential. However, assessments of mitigation potential tend to be broadly focused, few if any have evaluated...

Cities are engines of economic growth and social change. About 85% of global GDP in 2015 was generated in cities. By 2050, two-thirds of the global population will live in urban areas. Compact, connected and efficient cities can generate stronger growth and job creation, alleviate poverty and reduce investment costs, as well as improve quality of l...

The assumption that climate mitigation can only be afforded at a particular level of income is implicit in global climate negotiations. This suggests that middle-income countries may reach a tipping point in their development process where low-carbon investment becomes more viable. In order to avoid dangerous levels of climate change, this tipping...

We evaluate the economic case for low carbon investment in a developing world city. Cost-effective measures could reduce emissions by 24.1% relative to BAU levels. These pay for themselves in o1 year and generate savings throughout their lifetime. Further savings come from reduced expenditure on energy infrastructure, subsidies. Limitations on clim...

Este estudio busca proporcionar evidencia para Lima-Callao que permita la toma de decisiones en cuanto a inversiones en un desarrollo urbano eficiente en agua y energía, bajo en carbono y resiliente al clima. El objetivo más específico del estudio es brindar listas priorizadas de las medidas más eficientes en términos de costo en cuanto al carbono/...

In this paper, we conduct a comparative analysis of the results of five recently completed studies that examined the economic case for investment in low-carbon development in five cities: Leeds in the UK, Kolkata in India, Lima in Peru, Johor Bahru in Malaysia and Palembang in Indonesia. The results demonstrate that there is a compelling economic c...

In this paper, we conduct a comparative analysis of the results of five recently completed studies that examined the economic case for investment in low-carbon development in five cities: Leeds in the UK, Kolkata in India, Lima in Peru, Johor Bahru in Malaysia and Palembang in Indonesia. The results demonstrate that there is a compelling economic c...