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Low-Carbon Resource Management in Cities

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Decarbonising Cities

Part of the book series: Green Energy and Technology ((GREEN))

Abstract

This chapter highlights some of the main issues associated with the current large, centralised systems for managing resources in cities and how they contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Several key opportunities to reduce emissions within our cities and built environment are identified, many of which are based around decentralised approaches to managing energy, water and waste. These are then discussed in relation to green infrastructure and how such systems and approaches can begin to close loops. The approaches discussed in this chapter help to inform the development of the carbon accounting framework discussed in Chaps. 11 and 12.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Lock-in is usually discussed in the context of technology. CSIRO (2009) refers to technology lock-in as a situation when “the dependence of a particular technology [e.g. standardisation of rail gauges] is reinforced by the market it is used in through positive feedback” (p. 219). Lock-in is not always negative, though it can affect or reduce the speed of technological change and innovation.

  2. 2.

    This amount includes fugitive emissions, representing 7.5 % of the total energy sector emissions.

  3. 3.

    The Borough of Woking, City of London, and City of Sydney have all implemented this technology (or, in Sydney’s case, are in the process of installing) as a way to reduce emissions.

  4. 4.

    Locally produced biomass (i.e. waste from agriculture) and organic municipal waste can be used to create synthetic gas (or syngas), which would provide a carbon free source of electricity.

  5. 5.

    See http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-03/demand-for-lithium-batteries-driving-technology-developments/5935472.

  6. 6.

    The percentage of water actually used for potable purposes in urban areas amounts to less than 15 % (Chanan et al. 2009) suggesting that much of this initial treatment process is unnecessary.

  7. 7.

    Assuming energy is produced using fossil fuels.

  8. 8.

    There are several trials being run in Australia looking at Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) to replenish groundwater supplies. See Bekele et al. (2013).

  9. 9.

    Compared to reusing wastewater, Fullerton (2001) highlights the difficulty in attaining public acceptance of reusing wastewater.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Curtin University Sustainability Policy (CUSP) Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia

    Vanessa Rauland & Peter Newman

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  1. Vanessa Rauland
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  2. Peter Newman
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Correspondence to Vanessa Rauland .

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Rauland, V., Newman, P. (2015). Low-Carbon Resource Management in Cities. In: Decarbonising Cities. Green Energy and Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15506-7_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15506-7_4

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