Editorial: Sustainable energy and sustainable cities

摘要

Meeting the carbon reduction commitments of the Kyoto protocol alone will make significant demands on our energy systems. Any meaningful replacement for this protocol will make these demands even more stringent. This will particularly impact on cities and other urban areas, both because of the majority of the population living in such areas and the increasing urbanisation of societies and populations. To help meet these challenges, there is globally an increased interest and investment in renewable energy sources, as well as a shift from centralised to more decentralised energy generation and distribution. These changes will have major impacts on how our cities and urban areas in the coming decades are designed, planned, constructed and operated.