6. An Analysis of the Links between Foreign Aid and Co₂ Emissions in Cities

In Chap. 6, Sandrine Kablan looks at what kinds of foreign aid practices have the best potential to work towards the achievement of green cities. She reflects on how innovative and promising these programs, initiatives and practices are, in order for them to be scaled up and made transferable across countries based on the existing literature and case studies spanning various urban sectors: urban design and public policy on buildings and infrastructure, transport, pollution and waste treatment; as well as energy supply, water supply and sewage. In addition, she employs an econometric panel data analysis covering 144 developing countries over the period 2002–11 to check the effectiveness of foreign aid in curbing the intensity of carbon dioxide emissions from buildings in urban centers, through investment in renewable energy sources. Kablan finds that foreign aid helps in reducing carbon dioxide emissions, especially associated with residential buildings as well as commercial and public services—thus contributing to greener cities.