The Role of Cities in Fostering the Low-Carbon Energy Transition

As urbanization and increasing urban affluence will continue to drive growth of energy demand in cities, technology and behavioural changes in urban energy systems will be strategic for achieving long‑ term sustainability of global energy use – including the carbon emission reductions required to meet the climate goals reached at COP21 in Paris. In fact, cities hold the key to the global low-carbon transition: They can provide 70% of the cost-effective opportunities for carbon emission reductions in a low-carbon scenario. Deployment of clean energy technologies and behavioural changes in urban areas can also enable cities to reap significant non-climate benefits like increased energy access for urban citizens, lower air pollution, and greater resilience of urban energy grids. Local and national energy policies can be effective drivers of urban energy transitions only if informed by solid analyses, sharing of bestpractices on successful policy and finance mechanisms as well as business models, and the use of adequate planning tools, among others. This side event aims at increasing confidence in local and national policy makers, particularly in least developed countries, that it is possible to meet the demand for energy services of urban citizens while at the same time effectively pursuing sustainable development. The event will consist of three presentations covering themes relevant to the implementation of more effective policies for urban energy sustainability. In the first presentation, the International Energy Agency will discuss the findings of the Energy Technology Perspectives 2016 report, which carries out an in-depth analysis on the role of cities in the low-carbon energy transition. The second presentation, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, will discuss best practices and experiences on the role of national governments and international cooperation. The World Resources Institute will finally present on innovative business models for sustainable urban services delivery