Skip to main content

When Fighting Climate Change Leads to Better Cities: A Study of Actions Implemented by 100 Cities in Spain

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Climate Change, Hazards and Adaptation Options

Part of the book series: Climate Change Management ((CCM))

Abstract

This study presents an empirical analysis of how cities change as a result of the fight against climate change. It analyses the measures adopted by 100 cities and towns participating in the Covenant of Mayors in Spain in order to reduce their emissions in the areas of public lighting, municipal buildings, transport, energy as well as other measures such as the increase in green spaces. Although reducing greenhouse gases has unintended consequences, such as the so-called rebound effect, in general we can maintain that the fight against climate change is leading to greener and healthier cities for citizens.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 149.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alber G, Kern K (2008) Governing climate change in cities: modes of urban climate governance in multi-level systems. In: Competitive cities and climate change. OECD conference proceedings, Milan, Italy, 9–10 Oct 2008

    Google Scholar 

  • Alcock I, White M, Wheeler B, Fleming L, Depledge M (2014) Longitudinal effects of mental health of moving to greener and less green urban areas. Environ Sci Technol 48:1247–1255

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bulkeley H, Schroeder H (2011) Beyond state/non-state divides: global cities and the governing of climate change. Eur J Int Relat 18(4)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bulkeley H, Castán Broto V (2012) Government by experiment? Global cities and the governing of climate change. Trans Inst Br Geogr 38(3)

    Google Scholar 

  • Che L, Chen C, Srinivasan R, McKnight C, Ewing R, Roe M (2012) Evaluating the safety effects of bicycle lanes in New York City. Am J Public Health 102(6):1120–1127

    Google Scholar 

  • Comunidad de Madrid (2016) Ley 6/2015, de 23 de diciembre, de Presupuestos Generales de la Comunidad de Madrid para el año 2016

    Google Scholar 

  • Croci E, Lucchitta B, Janssens-Maenhout G, Martelli S, Molteni T (2016) Urban CO2 mitigation strategies under the Covenant of Mayors: an assessment of 124 European cities. J Clean Prod 169:161–177

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Blasio (2014) De Blasio orders a greener city, setting goals for energy efficiency of buildings. The New York Times, 20 Sept 2014

    Google Scholar 

  • De Vries S, Verheij R (2003) Natural environments—healthy environments? An exploratory analysis of the relationship between greenspace and health. Environ Plan 35(10)

    Google Scholar 

  • Es por Madrid (2016) Plan Renove 2016 de ventanas de la Comunidad de Madrid, 27 Sept 2016. Consulted on Mar 2019. https://www.espormadrid.es/2016/09/plan-renove-2016-de-ventanas-de-la.html

  • European Commission (2016) Buying green! A handbook on green public procurement, 3rd edn. European Union

    Google Scholar 

  • European Council (2007) Presidency conclusions 8/9 March 2007. Brussels, 2 May 2007

    Google Scholar 

  • European Council (2014) European Council conclusions. Brussels, 24 Oct 2014

    Google Scholar 

  • FENERCOM (2017) Plan Renove de Ventanas. Información general

    Google Scholar 

  • Font Vivanco D, Van der Voet E (2014) The rebound effect through industrial ecology’s eyes: a review of LCA-based studies. Int J Life Cycle Assess 19:1933–1947

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Font Vivanco D, Kemp R, Van der Voet E (2016) How to deal with the rebound effect? A policy-oriented approach. Energy Policy 94:114–125

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gu J, Mohit B, Muenning P (2017) The cost-effectiveness of bike lanes in New York City. Inj Prev 23:239–243

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hölker F, Wolter C, Perkin EK, Tockner K (2010) Light pollution as a biodiversity threat. Trends Ecol Evol 25

    Google Scholar 

  • IDAE (2015) Consumo de Energía Final 2015. Consulted on Mar 2019. http://sieeweb.idae.es/consumofinal/bal.asp?txt=2015&tipbal=t

  • IDAE (2016) Balance del consumo de energía final. 2016 (avance). Consulted on Mar 2019. http://sieeweb.idae.es/consumofinal/bal.asp?txt=2015&tipbal=t

  • IEA (2007) World energy outlook 2006. OECD/IEA

    Google Scholar 

  • IEA (2009) Cities, towns and renewable energy. Yes in my front yard. OECD/IEA

    Google Scholar 

  • IEA (2014) Capturing the multiple benefits of energy efficiency. OECD/IEA

    Google Scholar 

  • James P, Bertrand K, Hart J et al (2017) Outdoor light at night and breast cancer incidence in the nurse’s health study II. Environ Health Perspect 125(8)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jin T, Kim J (2019) A new approach for assessing the macroeconomic growth energy rebound effect. Appl Energy 239

    Google Scholar 

  • Junta de Andalucía (2012) Más de 17.000 andaluces cambian su aire acondicionado por otro más eficiente con el plan renove de la consejería de economía. Consejería de Empleo, Formación y Trabajo Autónomo. Consulted on Mar 2019

    Google Scholar 

  • Kern K, Bulkeley H (2009) Cities, Europeanization and multi-level governance: governing climate change through transnational municipal networks. JCMS 47(2)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kyba C, Kuester T, Sánchez de Miguel A et al (2017) Artificially lit surface of earth at night increasing in radiance and extent. Sci Adv 3

    Google Scholar 

  • Maas J, Verhij R (2009) Morbidity is elated to a green living environment. Epidemiol Community Health 63(12)

    Google Scholar 

  • Milios L (2018) Advancing to a circular economy: three essential ingredients for a comprehensive policy mix. Sustain Sci 13:861–878

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitchel R, Popham F (2008) Effect of exposure to natural environment on health inequalities: an observational population study. Lancet 372

    Google Scholar 

  • New Climate Economy (2014) Better growth, better climate. The New Climate Economy Report. Global Commission on the Economy and Climate

    Google Scholar 

  • Official Journal of the European Union (2014a) Directive 2014/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on public procurement and repealing Directive 2004/18/EC

    Google Scholar 

  • Official Journal of the European Union (2014b) Directive 2014/25/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on procurement by entities operating in the water, energy, transport and postal services sectors and repealing Directive 2004/18/EC

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmujoki A, Parikka-Alhola K, Ekroos A (2010) Green public procurement: analysis on the use of environmental criteria in contracts. Rev Eur Community Int Environ Law 19(2)

    Google Scholar 

  • Pucher J, Dijkstra L (2003) Promoting safe walking and cycling to improve public health: lessons from the Netherlands and Germany. Am J Public Health 93(9)

    Google Scholar 

  • Santarius T (2012) Green growth unravelled. How rebound effects baffle sustainability targets when the economy keeps growing. Heinrich Böll Foundation. The Green Political Foundation

    Google Scholar 

  • Santos R, Matias J, Abreu A, Reis F (2018) Evolutionary algorithms on reducing energy consumption in buildings: an approach to provide smart and efficiency choices, considering the rebound effect. Comput Ind Eng 126:729–755

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sorrell S (2007) The rebound effect: an assessment of the evidence for economy-wide energy savings from improved energy efficiency. Project report

    Google Scholar 

  • Sorrell S (2010) Energy, economic growth and environmental sustainability: five propositions. Sustainability 2

    Google Scholar 

  • Sorrell S, Dimitropoulos J (2008) The rebound effect: microeconomic definitions, limitations and extensions. Ecol Econ 65(3)

    Google Scholar 

  • Streimikiene D (2015) Environmental indicators for the assessment of quality of life. Intellect Econ 9

    Google Scholar 

  • UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (2014) World urbanization prospects, 2014 revision. UN

    Google Scholar 

  • UN Population (2018) World urbanization prospects: the 2018 revision. UN

    Google Scholar 

  • Van den Berg J (2011) Energy conservation more effective with rebound policy. Environ Resour Econ 48:43–58

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van den Berg A, Maas J, Verjrok T, Groenewegen P (2010) Green space as a buffer between stressful life events and health. Soc Sci Med 70(8)

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Doren B, Horton K, Dokter A et al (2017) High-intensity urban light installation dramatically alters nocturnal bird migration. PNAS 114(42)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xira Ruiz-Campillo .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Ruiz-Campillo, X. (2020). When Fighting Climate Change Leads to Better Cities: A Study of Actions Implemented by 100 Cities in Spain. In: Leal Filho, W., Nagy, G., Borga, M., Chávez Muñoz, P., Magnuszewski, A. (eds) Climate Change, Hazards and Adaptation Options. Climate Change Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37425-9_55

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy