2021-11-08-联合国,落基山研究所-战胜高温_城市可持续降温指南手册_208页_11mb

Summary of Beating the Heat: A Sustainable Cooling Handbook for Cities

Core Content

Beating the Heat: A Sustainable Cooling Handbook for Cities is a comprehensive guide published by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in 2021, aimed at helping cities address the growing challenge of urban heat through sustainable cooling strategies. The handbook outlines a whole-system approach to urban cooling, emphasizing the need for coordinated, multi-sector interventions to mitigate the impacts of climate change and urban heat island effects.

Main Objectives

• To provide a strategic framework for sustainable urban cooling.
• To highlight key interventions and case studies for cities to implement.
• To support cities in developing cooling action plans and assessing their feasibility.
• To promote awareness, capacity-building, and funding mechanisms for cooling initiatives.

Key Chapters and Their Focus

Chapter 1: Introduction

• Highlights the increasing global temperatures and the urgent need for sustainable urban cooling.
• Emphasizes that cities are warming faster than the global average due to the urban heat island effect.
• Notes that by 2100, cities could warm by up to 4°C, significantly exceeding the Paris Agreement targets.
• Calls for cities to take action to prevent heat-related health crises and economic losses.

Chapter 2: Why a Strategic, Whole-System Approach is Key

• Advocates for a holistic approach that integrates urban design, building efficiency, and cooling technologies.
• Discusses the benefits of reducing heat at the urban scale and in buildings.
• Highlights the importance of efficient cooling technologies and operations to minimize energy use and environmental impact.

Chapter 3: Barriers and Interventions

• Identifies key barriers to sustainable urban cooling, including policy gaps, lack of awareness, and financial constraints.
• Proposes intervention pathways such as urban planning, green infrastructure, and energy-efficient buildings.
• Emphasizes the need for a collaborative, cross-sectoral strategy to overcome these challenges.

Chapter 4: Guidelines for Developing a Cooling Action Plan

• Offers a framework for cities to create and implement a cooling action plan.
• Includes a process for identifying cooling priorities and organizing interventions.
• Suggests a matrix for strategic assessment of cooling initiatives.

Chapter 5: Baseline Assessment as a Starting Point

• Outlines the purpose and methodology of baseline assessments for cooling.
• Suggests key factors to consider, such as current temperatures, building stock, and community vulnerability.
• Includes case studies from Western Sydney and Hanoi to illustrate baseline assessment practices.

Chapter 6: Heat-Resilient Urban Design and Infrastructure

• Focuses on urban form, green and blue spaces, and cool surfaces.
• Highlights the role of smart density, mixed-use development, and ventilation corridors in reducing urban heat.
• Includes case studies such as Ljubljana, Medellín, and Barcelona to showcase heat-resilient urban design.

Chapter 7: District Cooling

• Introduces district cooling as an efficient alternative to individual air conditioning systems.
• Discusses the advantages and limitations of district cooling.
• Provides three business models and a feasibility analysis framework.
• Includes case studies from Paris, GIFT City, Singapore, Toronto, Dubai, and others.

Chapter 8: Energy-Efficient and Thermally Efficient Buildings

• Explores opportunities for transforming the buildings sector to reduce cooling needs.
• Discusses building codes, energy audits, and green building rating schemes.
• Includes case studies from Toronto and Boulder to demonstrate best practices in building efficiency.

Chapter 9: Cities Leading by Example

• Highlights the role of city leadership in promoting sustainable cooling.
• Includes examples of public sector initiatives, municipal building portfolios, and green transport systems.
• Case studies from Singapore, Tacoma, and Shenzhen illustrate how cities can lead by example.

Chapter 10: Community-Centric Initiatives for Heat Equity

• Emphasizes the importance of addressing heat equity and ensuring access to cooling for vulnerable populations.
• Suggests community engagement strategies, cooling centers, and tree giveaways.
• Case studies from Ahmedabad and Philadelphia show how cities can implement community-focused cooling programs.

Chapter 11: Awareness and Capacity-Building

• Discusses the role of public awareness campaigns, training programs, and partnerships in advancing sustainable cooling.
• Highlights initiatives like the "Million Trees NYC" and "Be-A-Buddy" program.
• Includes examples of volunteer programs and shared capacities across cities.

Chapter 12: Funding and Financing

• Provides an overview of funding sources and financing models for cooling interventions.
• Covers local government funding, revolving loan funds, and green mortgages.
• Includes case studies from Miami, Finland, Sweden, and Mexico to illustrate financial strategies.

Key Information and Recommendations

• Urban Heat Island Effect: Cities are warming faster than the global average, with projections indicating up to 4°C warming by 2100.
• Health and Economic Impacts: Heatwaves are increasing in frequency and severity, leading to health risks and economic losses, particularly in low-income regions.
• Energy Demand: Cooling is expected to account for 30-50% of peak electricity demand in many countries by 2050.
• Environmental Impact: Cooling practices, especially those reliant on fossil fuels, contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions.
• Solutions: The handbook promotes a whole-system approach, including:
  • Urban design and planning (e.g., smart density, green spaces, cool surfaces).
  • Energy-efficient buildings (e.g., building codes, energy audits, green rating schemes).
  • District cooling (e.g., centralized cooling systems, business models).
  • Community initiatives (e.g., cooling centers, tree giveaways, volunteer programs).
  • Awareness and capacity-building (e.g., training, campaigns, partnerships).
  • Funding and financing (e.g., revolving funds, green mortgages, public-private partnerships).

Conclusion

The handbook underscores the critical need for cities to adopt a strategic, integrated approach to sustainable urban cooling. It provides a roadmap for city leaders, planners, and policymakers to develop and implement cooling action plans, leverage nature-based solutions, and promote energy efficiency. The inclusion of case studies from around the world offers practical insights into how cities can adapt to rising temperatures and reduce the impacts of heat on public health, the environment, and the economy.