Urban areas have a big impact on climate change. They do this mainly because there are a lot of people living close together and because of factories and industries. Here are some of the main ways they contribute:

1. Greenhouse Gas Emissions:

   • Cities are responsible for about 70% of the world's CO2 emissions. This is mostly from cars, energy use, and industries.
   • Transportation alone adds around 24% to those emissions, as most city transport relies on fossil fuels.

2. Energy Use:

   • Cities use a huge amount of energy—over 75% of the total energy in the world.
   • Buildings in these areas are responsible for about 40% of the CO2 emissions linked to energy use.

3. Waste Production:

   • Urban areas create a lot of waste. Cities produce more than 1.3 billion tons of solid waste every year.
   • When this trash breaks down in landfills, it releases methane gas, which is much worse for the environment than CO2.

4. Urban Heat Island Effect:

   • Cities often get hotter than nearby rural areas. This means people need to use even more energy to stay cool.
   • The temperature in cities can rise by 1°C to 5°C, leading to worse heatwaves and increasing energy needs by up to 30%.

All of these factors show how important cities are in the fight against climate change.