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service providers for pricing structures that provide affordability to incomechallenged households and for policies that avert shutting off service when bills are
not paid. In many states, they have advocated for the reform of public service regulation and limitations on clientelism. They have also advocated for the development
of lakes and rivers within the city’s boundaries for recreation and tourism.
18.2.3.3 Energy Systems
Civil society organizations have been very active in advocating for greater efficiency (energy conservation) in residential and commercial uses. They have advocated with municipal and private energy providers for pricing structures that provide
affordability to low-income households, and for policies that avert shutting off service when bills are not paid. They have advocated for reduced use of coal in local
electricity plants to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gases, and for the transition
to low carbon energy sources (a reduced footprint). They have advocated for more
public transportation and for the reconfiguration of urban areas to save energy. They
have advocated for more generation of wind and solar energy on municipal land,
and for revisions in zoning regulations and building codes that would foster greater
adoption of residential solar collection.
Policies favoring degrowth, or the overall downscaling of production and consumption to reduce the environmental impact of human activities (i.e., the footprint), have been promoted because, among other things, they would reduce the
energy used to landfill municipal solid waste. Many of the concepts in the degrowth
movement have the potential to address the FEW Nexus in an integrated way, as do
organizations that promote sustainability.
18.2.4 Global Climate Change
At least in the short and medium-term, one of the strongest potential drivers of the
FEW nexus in urban areas is global climate change and its associated socioecological impacts. (Refer to Chap. 11 for a focus on Climate Change nexus impacts
broadly). Global climate change is expected to result in higher mean air, land, and
water temperatures that will exacerbate the urban heat island effect. Climate change
will include greater intra-annual and interannual variation in temperature and precipitation, and more frequent and severe hurricanes and typhoons. Cities vary in
their planned response and policies relating to climate change, with coastal cities
generally further ahead in their planning than inland cities and those of the Great
Lakes region. However, engineering stormwater treatment systems for larger storms
is a current topic of discussion even in inland cities, as is increasing the security of
water supplies to adapt to decreasing surface water sources.
One of the impacts of climate change that is already being seen is more frequent
and severe flooding of low-lying coastal and riverine cities. Municipal governments
18 Cities at the Nexus
service providers for pricing structures that provide affordability to incomechallenged households and for policies that avert shutting off service when bills are
not paid. In many states, they have advocated for the reform of public service regulation and limitations on clientelism. They have also advocated for the development
of lakes and rivers within the city’s boundaries for recreation and tourism.
18.2.3.3 Energy Systems
Civil society organizations have been very active in advocating for greater efficiency (energy conservation) in residential and commercial uses. They have advocated with municipal and private energy providers for pricing structures that provide
affordability to low-income households, and for policies that avert shutting off service when bills are not paid. They have advocated for reduced use of coal in local
electricity plants to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gases, and for the transition
to low carbon energy sources (a reduced footprint). They have advocated for more
public transportation and for the reconfiguration of urban areas to save energy. They
have advocated for more generation of wind and solar energy on municipal land,
and for revisions in zoning regulations and building codes that would foster greater
adoption of residential solar collection.
Policies favoring degrowth, or the overall downscaling of production and consumption to reduce the environmental impact of human activities (i.e., the footprint), have been promoted because, among other things, they would reduce the
energy used to landfill municipal solid waste. Many of the concepts in the degrowth
movement have the potential to address the FEW Nexus in an integrated way, as do
organizations that promote sustainability.
18.2.4 Global Climate Change
At least in the short and medium-term, one of the strongest potential drivers of the
FEW nexus in urban areas is global climate change and its associated socioecological impacts. (Refer to Chap. 11 for a focus on Climate Change nexus impacts
broadly). Global climate change is expected to result in higher mean air, land, and
water temperatures that will exacerbate the urban heat island effect. Climate change
will include greater intra-annual and interannual variation in temperature and precipitation, and more frequent and severe hurricanes and typhoons. Cities vary in
their planned response and policies relating to climate change, with coastal cities
generally further ahead in their planning than inland cities and those of the Great
Lakes region. However, engineering stormwater treatment systems for larger storms
is a current topic of discussion even in inland cities, as is increasing the security of
water supplies to adapt to decreasing surface water sources.
One of the impacts of climate change that is already being seen is more frequent
and severe flooding of low-lying coastal and riverine cities. Municipal governments
18 Cities at the Nexus