Carbon Without Borders: Certifying the Emissions Cities Don’t See

Prof Zehnder and Dr Yip of NanRise recently published a paper “ Carbon Without Borders: Certifying the Emissions Cities Don’t See” at the journal International Journal on Smart and Sustainable Cities, discussing the challenges of Scope 3 emissions in  cities.  The following is a summary of the paper :

Urban areas are responsible for the majority of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with Scope 3 emissions — those embedded in the goods and services consumed in cities — often accounting for the largest share. Despite their importance, Scope 3 emis­sions are still under-accounted for due to their complexity and lack of direct accountability. This paper explores the potential of carbon certification schemes to incentivize technologi­cal solutions to reduce these indirect emissions.

Examples from Switzerland and Singapore are used to show how innovative design, energy-efficient construction and retrofit initia­tives can achieve significant emission reductions. It argues that robust certification mecha­nisms, particularly those consistent with Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement, could open up new ways of recognizing and rewarding low-carbon technologies.

The paper also contrasts nature-based and technology-based carbon removal strategies and highlights the chal­lenges of permanence, verification and scalability. Ultimately, it argues for the development of transparent, technology-based certification schemes that can validate and promote technological innovation to accelerate progress toward global climate goals.

Source:

 International Journal on Smart and Sustainable Cities

(2025) 2550006 (14 pages)

© Centre for Liveable Cities Ltd. andWorld Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.

DOI: 10.1142/S2972426025500060

Carbon Without Borders Certifying the Emissions Cities Dont See.pdf

Download PDF • 270KB