We encourage you to get acquainted with the C40 Cities and McKinsey Sustainability Report, which recommends various types of actions related to climate change adaptation in cities.
„This report, written by C40 Cities and McKinsey Sustainability, examines adaptations that city leaders can consider as a starting point. Our research has identified a set of 15 high-potential actions that can work for many types of cities, based on their risk-reduction potential, cost, feasibility, and stakeholder complexity.
Four of the actions build systemic resilience, meaning they strengthen cities of all profiles. The other 11 are hazard specific, meaning they target particular physical climate risks. Several of the solutions address both risk reduction and decarbonization. This list is not a definitive directory of actions that all cities should take, but we hope it is a useful guide to help leaders address the climate risks facing their cities.
The 15 high-potential actions range from infrastructure actions such as flood- and storm-resilience measures for buildings in coastal, flood-prone geographies to behavioral actions such as encouraging water conservation during droughts. Looking at these actions as a whole, leaders will notice that several themes emerge:
- First, nature-based solutions;
- Second, cities should invest in actions that increase resilience systemically;
- Finally, this report is a call to action—focused action.
The effects of climate change are already measurable. Furthermore, decarbonization efforts are not on track to meet the global consensus goal of limiting the rise in temperature to no more than 2 degrees Celsius—let alone the more ideal goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius. This report provides critical guidance to help cities play an important role in making swifter, surer progress in adapting to climate change”.
Executive summary (2021, Focused Adaptation – A strategic approach to climate adaptation in cities)
