We’re doing the math, but what’s the right answer? According to Alex Steffen, it’s zero. Zero emissions, that is.
Sooner or later (hopefully sooner) we’re going to need to stop adding more CO2 to the atmosphere. In his new book, *Carbon Zero: Imagining cities that can save the planet*, Steffen argues that cities can and should take the lead in getting us there.
Steffen explores how through taking bold action now, cities can cut their emissions down to net-zero. By shifting away from energy-intensive centralized and car-dependent systems to people-focused communities and energy-frugal innovations cities can cut deeply the amount of energy they need to provide a high quality of life, and then meet the remaining demand with clean sources like wind and solar. Zero won’t be easy. But zero is achievable. Steffen’s book is a short, compelling tour of the urban future that invites us to imagine winning the climate fight.
Steffen’s also a big supporter of 350. So he’s inviting 350 supporters to read his book, for free. Just sign up at https://eepurl.com/snCQv to receive a PDF of Carbon Zero you can read and share.
Want to read it online? Grist is featuring the book for a week, sharing a chapter a day: https://grist.org/cities/how-