By Matthew Hempstead

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Cities sit at the heart of the modern economy, accounting for 80% of global GDP according to the World Bank. This central role means that they are also a major contributor to climate change, with the International Energy agency reporting that they are responsible for 70% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Given their impact, mitigating the impact of the urban built environment has been a major focus for policymakers and innovators alike, as has climate adaptation. However, there is also another way to look at cities – not just as a climate problem to be solved but as a driver of solutions. This mindset lies behind the idea of ‘solution cities’, which will be discussed at the latest Springwise webinar at 16.00pm BST on 24th September.

Innovations designed for the built environment and urban infrastructure can be a proactive solution for climate change, both within city limits and beyond, with impacts in several areas.

Cities as carbon sinks

Permanent carbon removal – the conversion of atmospheric CO2 into long-lasting, climate-benign forms of carbon – will play a key role in net-zero targets by addressing residual emissions. It is also the focus of a growing segment of the voluntary carbon market. The carbon removed from the atmosphere needs to be stored somewhere, and soil and the ocean are both important carbon sinks. However, innovators are increasingly exploring the idea that the physical infrastructure of cities can also perform the same role.

Biochar, a solution that stores carbon in a stable form by heating organic waste in the absence of oxygen, has traditionally been applied to farmland, but it can also be added to building materials, such as concrete. Dr Maria Pimenta-Ocampo of Aston University will provide an overview of projects where innovators have incorporated biochar into their construction products. In so doing, she will outline how cities can play an important role by locking away carbon for the long term.

The built environment as an energy source

In addition to accounting for 70% of greenhouse gas emissions, cities are responsible for 75% of global energy consumption. However, the rooftops of buildings also have massive potential to be turned into clean, energy-generating assets.

In an important 2021 study, researchers from University College Cork, Columbia University, Ahmedabad University, and Imperial College London found that the total global potential for rooftop solar power exceeds all the energy used worldwide in 2018.

Although solar power is now established as the cheapest form of energy in most parts of the world, this does not mean that there is no more innovation needed when it comes to incorporating solar generation into the urban environment.

Christian Albrecht, Business Development director at Naked Energy, will explain how his company’s innovative hybrid solar PV and heat systems are helping to turn cities into sources of energy and grid resilience.

Cities as sources of biodiversity

Urban sprawl is hardly what you imagine when you think of biodiversity, but not all countryside environments are thriving eco-systems and cities need not be unfriendly to nature.

A growing number of companies are developing urban greening solutions to both boost nature and provide additional benefits such as cooling and surface water management. Crucially, bringing biodiversity to cities has wider benefits by creating habitat corridors, boosting pollinators, and buffering the transition between urban and rural ecosystems, making adjacent areas more habitable to sensitive species.

As the world urbanises, the potential for cities to act not just as climate challenges but as climate solutions becomes increasingly clear. From carbon-storing infrastructure and rooftop solar to biodiversity-enhancing green spaces, solution cities are emerging as powerful engines of change. By embracing bold innovation ideas, fostering cross-sector collaboration, and reimagining urban systems, cities can lead the way in building a resilient, low-carbon future.

Join us at the Springwise webinar to explore how your organisation can be part of this transformation.