The Urban Green Revolution

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The international scene is littered with failed environmental treaties, each hailed as a turning point in global consciousness, only to be weakened or even gutted, often thanks to the U.S. government and its financial interests. The recurring argument is that environmental protection is too costly.

If cities are to fulfill Jaime Lerner's claim that they're the solution to a greener world, they'll have to prove the naysayers wrong. The fascinating thing is how uniquely positioned they are to do so. The modern city is perhaps the most effective unit of social change these days, small enough to marshal social cohesion for getting things done yet large enough to be an engine of cultural influence on the wider stage.

As Oakland's Randy Hayes noted, there's no guarantee that the accords drawn up in San Francisco last June will work where so many other agreements have failed. But it's clear that the green deals struck between nations aren't doing the job. "That's why we pulled these mayors together," he added. "Cities have more in common with each other than national governments." From New Paltz to Kampala, there's a growing awareness that if we're ever to address environmental decline and other crucial challenges of the 21st century, cities, not nations, may lead the way.

Leif Utne is the associate editor of Utne.

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