Good Practice Guide - Climate Positive Development

More than 50% of the world’s population currently lives in urban areas, with the percentage expected to grow to more than 70% by 2050. Planning and development of low-carbon, compact and connected cities is critical to sustainably manage this significant urbanisation trend. Fortunately, C40 cities have significant power and authority over land-use planning (through zoning, other planning frameworks and requirements, and building codes), waste management and water supply, as well as transportation and energy to varying degrees.

In partnership with the Clinton Climate Initiative and the US Green Building Council, C40 Cities launched the Climate Positive Development Program in 2009. Climate Positive helps create a new paradigm for cities with replicable and scalable models for low-carbon development, targeting the operational carbon emissions associated with energy, waste and transportation. C40’s Climate Positive Frameworki is not rigidly prescriptive as there is not one single path for a development to achieve a Climate Positive outcome; in fact, developments in any city in the world can reach the Climate Positive target.

This Good Practice Guide focuses on the main elements to successfully deliver Climate Positive development in cities, with a survey of best practices leading to better economic, social, and environmental outcomes for cities.

The C40 Climate Positive Development Program was established to address the dual challenges of rapid urbanisation and climate change. It uses a performance-based framework that creates replicable, innovative models for environmentally sustainable and economically viable growth, through the ‘urban laboratories’ of large-scale Climate Positive Developments. The Program is currently comprised of 18 projects, including 13 in C40 cities.

The purpose of this Good Practice Guide is to summarise the key elements of Climate Positive development for global dissemination, highlighting successes in planning and delivering lowcarbon district-scale developments.