Sustainable Cities
The Allianz Foundation supports the sustainability transformation in and of Europe's cities, aiming to contribute to a liveable planet.
Time for humankind to grow up.
Under the Paris Agreement, the world's nations committed to keeping the planet habitable for future generations and to limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels. This target may already be out of reach. 2024 was the first year to average 1.5 degrees warmer than pre-industrial levels. Under the current policies of many governments, warming of 2.6 degrees by 2100 is likely, and some climate scientists see a risk that the 3-degree mark could be reached as early as 2050. The window for keeping warming within a still manageable range is closing fast. The focus is shifting from preventing the 2.0-degree threshold from being crossed, to limiting how far and for how long it is exceeded. Climate mitigation and climate adaptation reinforce one another and must be pursued together.
In many countries, climate and environmental protection is being undermined by the instrumentalisation of public discontent, for instance in response to rising energy prices. Growing nationalism and a lack of international cooperation are putting global efforts on climate and the environment at risk, and with them, a future of equal opportunity for all.
For a liveable planet: Sustainable Cities
On the path towards a climate-neutral, liveable planet, our focus turns to Europe's cities.
Cities are disproportionately affected by the impacts of the climate crisis, while at the same time contributing significantly to it.
The environmental dimension of urban spaces
They are home to three-quarters of Europe's population, around 340 million people in the EU alone. This makes cities centres of talent, creativity, innovation and democratic life. At the same time, it means that the decisions made there carry particular weight.
Urban living and construction activity account for a large share of Europe's greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution and other environmental pressures. Dense urban areas are often especially vulnerable to the effects of the climate crisis, such as flooding or heatwaves. Europe is warming faster than the global average, and its cities most of all: concrete and asphalt absorb heat during the day and keep temperatures elevated overnight as well. Traffic and air conditioning generate further heat. In addition, urban land use, along with the environmental impact and resource demands of the built environment, are key drivers of biodiversity loss.
The social dimension of urban spaces
Cities are also places of growing inequality, and housing sits at the very centre of this challenge in many European regions. Fair access to affordable, adequate housing is becoming one of Europe's most pressing urban issues. How we build and rebuild our neighbourhoods shapes not only the resilience of our living spaces, but also the cohesion of our societies. Yet apparent solutions often overlook their ecological costs: new buildings continue to be constructed while existing space remains unused, resulting in further land consumption and additional emissions.
This is why we focus, among other things, on the potential already present within our cities. Repurposing or adapting existing buildings, for example, can often create affordable, climate-friendly housing faster and more cheaply than new construction. This includes measures such as energy-efficient retrofitting, redistributing space, or reactivating vacant properties, all ways of avoiding the emissions associated with new build. At the same time, giving city residents a genuine say in shaping urban life helps drive the sustainable development our cities urgently need.