Perhaps the most pressing challenge facing cities as urbanization accelerates is how to improve transportation, reduce energy consumption, minimize waste and maximize recycling. Urban EcoMap, an internet-based tool that enables cities around the world to provide smarter climate change information for their citizens, was developed by Cisco IBSG (the global strategic consulting arm of Cisco) and San Francisco’s Department of the Environment, and launched in 2008. Amsterdam set up an identical facility a year later.
Urban EcoMap provides local communities with information on their progress toward meeting greenhouse gas reduction goals in relation to transportation, energy, and waste. It also offers access to the most useful, locally available tools and resources for reducing their carbon footprint. Urban EcoMap amasses information on a neighbourhood level, organized by postal codes.
For San Francisco and Amsterdam, the hope is that Urban EcoMap will spur a shift to climate-friendly behaviour in cities, helping cities to meet their greenhouse gas targets and improving citizens’ quality of life.