Economic ramifications of climate change move cities to protect businesses, finds CDP report

10 July 2014: The majority of the world’s major cities have disclosed that climate change presents a physical risk to the businesses operating in their cities.  This real and current threat is driving local governments to take concrete action in response, so finds Protecting our Capital, a new report from CDP, formerly Carbon Disclosure Project, AECOM and C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40).  

Cities generate more than 80% of global GDP, are home to more than half the global population and consume two thirds of the world’s energy^[1]. They are also on the frontline of climate change^[2].  Accordingly, 207 cities including Stockholm, London, Moscow, New York, São Paulo, Sydney and Tokyo, have disclosed their climate change strategies and actions through CDP.  This is nearly double the 110 cities that disclosed last year, demonstrating the increasing importance that city administrations place on their environmental accountability and performance monitoring. 

Three quarters of the cities in the report disclose that extreme weather and other effects of climate change threaten the stability of their local economies, with damage to property and capital assets, transport and infrastructure destruction, and citizen wellbeing among the most commonly reported risks.  However, more than three quarters of cities see financial benefits from taking action on climate change. Portland, for example, reports that its City Energy Challenge program achieves annual savings of US$5.5 million, resulting in cumulative savings of US$42 million since the program’s inception in 1991. Oslo identifies another advantage: It estimates to be relatively resilient compared with other Norwegian cities, which could make it more attractive for business settlement. Stockholm considers clean tech a growth industry and provides support to form green ICT and clean tech clusters in the city.

The report includes analysis by AECOM and is presented together with CDP’s long-standing strategic partner C40.  It examines the data from 50 cities where 78 companies have reported that they expect climate change to have a physical effect.  Cited impacts include drought, intense rainfall, storms, floods, heat waves and sea level rise. It establishes that both cities and companies are aware of the substantial financial values associated with climate change impacts and that city action on climate change helps reduce those risks for businesses.

The City of Copenhagen reports to have experienced massive flooding, “which would decrease the ability of businesses to operate due to closed roads, damages on buildings and inventory” in the future. The city also states that the increased insurance costs and the compromised security for invested value in buildings may be an even more serious risk. Pittsburgh reports that some business owners are abandoning their investments because they are unable to seek compensation for losses incurred as a result of climate change.  Indeed, the insurance industry recently filed lawsuits against city municipalities for failing to adapt to the consequences of climate change^[3]. 

Cities are largely aligned with companies on risk identification. They recognize 69% of the physical climate change risks that businesses identify in those cities and are moving to address 66% of the company-identified risks. 

In Hong Kong, energy provider CLP Holdings has suffered site damage and business interruption as a result of rising sea level.  It has spent US$193,000 raising building floor levels and has invested a further US$516,000 to increase drainage capacity.  The Hong Kong Drainage Services Department, meanwhile, has put US$2.7 billion toward flood defence infrastructure, including river widening and underground water storage.  To combat rising temperatures in London, financial advisor Morgan Stanley has spent US$4.4 million upgrading air-conditioning at its data center. London is using its planning system to drive greater energy and cooling efficiency – ensuring property managers and developers contribute to a more climate resilient city.

This alignment on risk identification is leading cities not only to invest in climate resilience but also to introduce policy designed to guide and enable the businesses to adapt.

Larissa Bulla, head of CDP’s cities program says: “Local governments are storming ahead to protect their citizens and businesses from the impacts of climate change, but further collaboration with business is needed to increase city resilience. Through the provision of information, policies and incentives, cities can help equip businesses to manage these risks and embrace the opportunities.”

Gary Lawrence, chief sustainability officer for AECOM, a premier, fully integrated infrastructure and support services  firm,says: “Three quarters of the cities that have taken part in CDP’s cities program this yearidentified substantial benefits that flow to both public and private economies from climate adaptation initiatives. These benefits can be amplified through closer collaborations and sharing of knowledge and technical resources.”

Nearly every city in the C40 network of global cities taking action on climate change has this year disclosed to CDP, the official exclusive reporting partner of the C40.  Kerem Yilmaz, C40 head of research says: “The need to understand and act upon climate risk is a growing priority.  That’s why these cities are taking steps right now to help create more climate-resilient communities, economies and infrastructure.  Their commitment to measuring and reporting on this critical issue is accelerating action by enabling cities to identify common challenges and work together to spur and implement solutions.”

Individual responses from the cities are now available on the CDP website, where the report can be freely downloaded.  Released alongside the new report today is an infographic which displays data from all 207 reporting cities, including their greenhouse gas emissions, risks, adaptation actions, and emissions reduction activities.  See the full infographic on the cities pages of CDP’s website.

[1] World Bank (2014).

[2] Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment WGII Report (2014).

[3] NBC: prepare for climate change or get sued (2014).

Editor’s notes

Disclosing cities

Most cities have made their completed climate change questionnaires available to the public.  The responses from those cities are now available on the CDP website.  207 cities took part in CDP’s cities program this year, representing a near 100% increase on the 110 cities in 2013.  

About CDP

CDP is an international, not-for-profit organization providing the only global system for companies and cities to measure, disclose, manage and share vital environmental information.  CDP works with market forces, including 767 institutional investors with assets of US$92 trillion, to motivate companies to disclose their impacts on the environment and natural resources and take action to reduce them.  CDP now holds the largest collection globally of primary climate change, water and forest risk commodities information and puts these insights at the heart of strategic business, investment and policy decisions.  C40 and Bloomberg Philanthropies are strategic partners of CDP’s cities program.  Please visit www.cdp.net or follow us @CDP to find out more.

About AECOM

Ranked as the #1 engineering design firm by revenue in Engineering News-Record magazine’s annual industry rankings, AECOM is a premier, fully integrated infrastructure and support services firm, with a broad range of markets, including transportation, facilities, environmental, energy, water and government.  With approximately 45,000 employees — including architects, engineers, designers, planners, scientists and management and construction services professionals — serving clients in more than 150 countries around the world, AECOM is a leader in all of the key markets that it serves.  AECOM provides a blend of global reach, local knowledge, innovation and technical excellence in delivering solutions that create, enhance and sustain the world's built, natural and social environments.  A Fortune 500 company, AECOM had revenue of $8.0 billion during the 12 months ended March 31, 2014.  More information on AECOM and its services can be found at www.aecom.com.

About C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40)

The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40) is a network of large and engaged cities from around the world committed to implementing meaningful and sustainable climate-related actions locally that will help address climate change globally. C40 was established in 2005 and expanded via a partnership in 2006 with President William J. Clinton’s Climate Initiative (CCI). The current chair of the C40 is Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes; the 108^th Mayor of New York City Michael R. Bloomberg serves as President of the Board. To learn more about the work of C40 and our cities, please visit www.c40.org, follow us on Twitter @c40cities and like us on Facebook at C40Cities.

For media information:

CDP: Catherine von Altheer // communications manager // + 44 (0) 20 7970 5682 // +44 7794 003 903
AECOM: Erik Miller // manager, corporate communications // +1 415 955 2804
C40: Mike Marinello // global communications director // + 1  212 617 2383