All over the world, cities are being required to develop climate action plans that will help their country to meet its overall net zero targets, usually against tough deadlines. Each city, understandably, faces different challenges on this score – depending on its local development, industrial practices, energy and transport infrastructure, and many other factors.

We produce a net zero roadmap, defining the changes that will be required across the city’s assets and operations in order to meet the overall goals and deadline. Arup has particular expertise gained from a decade-long partnership with C40 Cities, carrying out vital research to help cities around the world measure, manage, and plan climate actions, empowering city leaders to make vital decisions.

The role of masterplanning

Whether designing a single street in a neighbourhood or defining a district scale regeneration project, masterplanning is an opportunity to shape how people’s life and work leads to carbon emissions. We draw together technical understanding of interconnected systems such as transport, energy, waste and the natural environment to produce masterplans that will enable a new level of net zero action to meet a city or town’s wider, long-term commitments.

Climate action plans give a city or region a clear baseline from which tangible actions to reduce emissions and build local resilience can be based. We have worked with many clients to prepare robust evidence bases and interpret these to be able to outline meaningful targets and actions for emissions reductions and climate resilience. 

Learn more about climate action plans and our work helping the City of London to prepare for the future. Read more. 

At a wider level, Arup has worked closely with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and other international collaborators (including PwC) for more than five years to develop and deliver Green City Action Plans for six cities: Tirana (Albania), Sofia (Bulgaria), Zenica (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Warsaw and Wałbrzych (Poland), and Split (Croatia), with a goal of ensuring a more sustainable and resilient future for these cities and their residents.