A YEAR FULL OF INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS

The conversation around sustainable cities has focused on three major themes in recent years: population density in urban areas, the role of the cities in climate change and injuries and fatalities caused by traffic crashes.

In 2015, the 21st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris set landmark goals for taking action on climate change, aiming to keep the temperature rise to well below 2 degrees C and to pursue efforts limiting the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees C. Countries will aim to peak global emissions as soon as possible and have agreed to reduce emissions rapidly to reach net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the second half of the century. 196 countries joined in together on the Paris Agreement, which will be officially signed on April 22, 2016. To achieve this, we need to change the way we build, manage and live in our cities.

Global Status Report on Road Safety 2015 suggests that despite the increase in population and in the number of motor vehicles, traffic crash fatalities have not risen. However, the expected positive change is happening rather slowly. In November 2015, delegates from a hundred countries met in Brazil and discussed the possible solutions to cut the fatalities in traffic in half by 2020. The declaration links to greater issues of development, including sustainability, resilience, urban growth management and social equity.” This sets the stage for appropriate consideration of road deaths and injuries within the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the future New Urban Agenda within the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Urban Development and Housing (Habitat III).

At Livable Cities Symposium 2015, we discussed how we can create energy efficient, smart cities in Turkey and around the world. At Livable Cities Symposium 2016, we will discuss how we are can implement the global commitments of 2015 in Turkey in beyond.