Towards thriving cities

The report explains that over 55% of the world’s population lives in cities, accounting for more than 60% of global energy consumption and more than 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions. These statistics demonstrate that cities have a unique role in shaping humanity’s chances of thriving in harmony with the rest of the living planet. The guide seeks to forge a sustainable path forward for these vital human settlements.

The purpose of the guide

The report aims to make the City Portrait methodology available to all interested in downsizing the doughnut to their city or place. The report recommends that a multidisciplinary team of city staff, civic organizations, and researchers with qualitative and quantitative skills develop the City Portrait collaboratively. The report also shows how the City Portrait can be used as a tool to transform urban policy.

The doughnut meets the city

The guide explains the doughnut framework, which seeks to balance human needs with planetary boundaries. Downscaling the Doughnut from a global compass to a City Portrait requires assessing local social, local ecological, global ecological, and global social lenses. The report outlines these lenses as crucial to taking action required to address cities’ thriving status.

Local-social lens

The report posits that people’s empowerment, political voice, social equity, equality in diversity, gender and racial equality, peace and justice are crucial to the success of the Local-Social Lens. The Local-Social Lens considers issues such as the availability of essential services, employment, wider opportunities, and access to good health.

Local-ecological lens

This section discusses the components required for local ecology to thrive in a city, including air and water quality, green space, and public transportation. The report posits that cities must consider the distribution of resources within their boundaries.

Global-ecological lens

The report asserts that to meet cities’ environmental goals, global ecological considerations must come into play. The Global-Ecological Lens assesses how cities consume resources and compares this consumption to the city’s fair share of a globally sustainable resource use.

Global-social lens

The report’s Global-Social Lens identifies the unique patterns of connections that cities have with other parts of the world and how those patterns impact other areas. The report considers issues such as safeguarding global cultural and natural heritage, ensuring healthy lives, and promoting wellbeing for everyone.

The city portrait as a transformative tool

The City Portrait is a transformative tool that can help policymakers turn assessment into action. This section provides insight into the City Portrait’s potential for crafting new perspectives in policy development and analysis. The report outlines the principles for putting Doughnut Economics into practice and mentions that the City Portrait methodology is still evolving, and further development of the methodology is ongoing.

Recommendations

Overall, the report highlights the importance of considering environmental, social, and economic factors to achieve sustainable urban development. The City Portrait methodology is a valuable tool for assessing the overall health of a city and for crafting better policy solutions to improve urban outcomes. The guide also recommends that city officials and policymakers use the methodology collectively and iteratively to create actionable solutions tailored to the unique needs of each city.