A new book by Alex Steffen called "Carbon Zero: Imagining cities that can save the planet" delves into the challenges and opportunities for how we can grow our cities and seize a better future in the face of climate change. It makes some bold statements about the situation we have created and how we can respond ... here are a few quotes to get a flavour.
Humanity will either bring its climate emissions down to a number in balance with the capacities of the planet (and have begun a worldwide effort to pull carbon out of the atmosphere) or face worsening, destabilizing disasters. Our choice is binary: carbon zero or climate chaos.
So, it's not about doing a little or trying our best. It's about getting to zero carbon and quickly.
I believe that planetary limits and human creativity are now inextricably bound together. Design constraints often deliver better results than complete freedom. Quite the opposite of imposing hardship, carbon zero targets may very well spur a renaissance in urban creativity.
As the saying goes - necessity is the mother of invention.
In just the next couple decades we must achieve net-zero climate emissions. That target, zero carbon, presents a stupendous challenge. Our cities, though, give us amazing opportunities to reduce our climate emissions while improving both our economy and our communities.
It will be very hard. But in cities, we can make deep cuts in emissions and create a social and economic boom from our innovations.
We can’t build, though, what we can’t imagine. Carbon Zero takes on the task of imagining how all these innovations might work together, and gives you the tools to reimagine the possibilities of your city. It’s not a blueprint. It’s not a manifesto. Carbon Zero is an invitation to imagine winning the climate fight.
Indeed, we need to break away from understanding the future based on today, and let our imagination free!
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