We are facing a climate crisis. To address it, we should increase the stock of multifamily housing in urban areas. Increasing urban density and adding housing will not only reduce our emissions, but allow us to address the cost of living crisis in our cities. Advocates for climate action and advocates for housing can and must work together to tackle these intertwined crises.
One of the largest sources of pollution and carbon emissions in Edmonton are automobile trips. The average Edmonton family household produced enough Co2 that it would require 986 trees to be planted every single year.
Infill housing is one of the best tools that cities and counties have to fight climate change. Building compact, walkable, and transit-oriented housing greatly reduces greenhouse gas emissions and prevents the low-density sprawl that destroys wild habitat. Denser multifamily is so environmentally effective that UC Berkeley's CoolClimate Network emphatically states that "infill housing is probably the single most impactful measure that cities could take to reduce emissions." Moreover, integrating high-performance design in these infill developments can further reduce both energy consumption and GHG emissions while improving comfort and health outcomes for residents.
To address both housing and the environment, we must change the way we use land and build housing.
Read the full white paper, co-authored with Abundant Housing LA, Livable Communities Initiative, Sunrise Movement LA, and Climate Reality Los Angeles: