Sustainable Infrastructure in Cities: Discussion, by Eliot Jobe

Regarding energy sustainability, cities face issues of heavy energy-use density, regulatory discord between national, subnational, and city governments, and magnified pollution and climate change impacts. Regarding energy-use density, cities account for 70% of global energy consumption, while covering only 2% of land area globally. That much energy required in such a small area requires substantial innovation and much more space-efficient energy infrastructure. It also requires energy-efficient buildings, green spaces, and energy-efficient urban planning. This further necessitates investments in higher education and creates high-skilled job demand. 

Many city governments directly regulate their own energy policy because of discord between themselves and national/subnational governments. Specifically regarding the United States, there are differing priorities between state governments and cities, as the more broadly diffused a voter base is, the less focused it will be on individual issues that do not concern people outside of those cities. Many cities have dense populations of liberal voters, even in broadly Republican states, which affects the degree to which energy sustainability is a focus. City governments also tend to be more accessible and responsive to constituents.

Cities also deal with concentrated consequences of pollution and climate change. Cities are estimated to contribute 70% of total energy-related CO2 emissions, and are disproportionately affected by natural disasters, due to density (e.g., Hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, etc.). Cities like Lahore, Pakistan and Delhi, India are great examples of developing city economies that had an AQI of over 100 throughout the majority of the year (IQAir, 2024), exceeding WHO guidelines by over 20 times.

Some of the key differences between emerging and developing economies come down to wealth and subsequent incentives. Wealthy countries often have the capital to invest in energy infrastructure projects, whether it is through direct investment or through incentives such as subsidized loans and tax credits. Developing countries typically face much higher barriers to entry when it comes to sustainable cities, because their cities have to balance sustainability and profitability for foreign companies, as their economies are so reliant on foreign direct investment. Furthermore, the infrastructure that is needed to proliferate sustainable energy has very high upfront costs, and developing countries often simply do not have the required capital.