The Urban Metabolism of Lima: Perspectives and Policy Indications for GHG Emission Reductions
The urban metabolism of Metropolitan Lima, the largest urban agglomeration in Peru, which has recently surpassed 10 million inhabitants, was analyzed in this study. This coastal megacity, located within the Rimac, Chillón, and Lurin watersheds constitutes the socioeconomic center of the country and...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-02-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Sustainable Cities |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsc.2020.00040/full |
| _version_ | 1818615973104582656 |
|---|---|
| author | Angelo Facchini Angelo Facchini R. Mele Guido Caldarelli |
| author_facet | Angelo Facchini Angelo Facchini R. Mele Guido Caldarelli |
| author_sort | Angelo Facchini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The urban metabolism of Metropolitan Lima, the largest urban agglomeration in Peru, which has recently surpassed 10 million inhabitants, was analyzed in this study. This coastal megacity, located within the Rimac, Chillón, and Lurin watersheds constitutes the socioeconomic center of the country and is the hub of the main import and export routes. A multi-layer approach was used to explore material and energy flows in the Peruvian capital for a 10-year timeframe. Results show that in 2006 the GDP of the 49 districts that shape the metropolitan area of Lima was 105.2 billion USD-PPP, while in 2014 it reached about 200 billion USD-PPP. Based on this growth, we highlight that energy, electricity and water flows experienced a linear increase with respect to GDP, being the electricity consumption in years 2006, 2011 and 2014, 7295, 10,112, and 11,465 GWh, respectively. Regarding demographics, population growth ratios of GDP (650%), electricity consumption (400%), solid waste production (250%), and water (100%) confirm the results of super linear scaling found by Kennedy et al. (2015) for the other megacities. Finally, the increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions was computed following an important shift in the primary energy sources to produce electricity. The most important change was linked to the shift from hydropower to natural gas, a trend that initiated in 2006. For instance, in 2001 79% of the total electricity production came from hydropower, whereas in 2014 69% was linked to natural gas. This shift produced an increase of GHG emissions of more than 200% in 2014 when compared to the electricity generation mix of 2001. Following these results, we strongly encourage policies for the decarbonization of the electricity production sector, as well as for mobility infrastructures, e.g., electric public and transport sector, with a progressive shift toward electric mobility. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T16:42:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-204c838a17b94e88a99c5c11c952ba82 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2624-9634 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T16:42:24Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Sustainable Cities |
| spelling | doaj.art-204c838a17b94e88a99c5c11c952ba822022-12-21T22:24:16ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sustainable Cities2624-96342021-02-01210.3389/frsc.2020.00040508900The Urban Metabolism of Lima: Perspectives and Policy Indications for GHG Emission ReductionsAngelo Facchini0Angelo Facchini1R. Mele2Guido Caldarelli3IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, ItalyNational Research Council – Institute for Complex Systems, Rome, ItalyEnel X, Rome, ItalyDSMN and ECLT, Universitá Ca' Foscari, Venice, ItalyThe urban metabolism of Metropolitan Lima, the largest urban agglomeration in Peru, which has recently surpassed 10 million inhabitants, was analyzed in this study. This coastal megacity, located within the Rimac, Chillón, and Lurin watersheds constitutes the socioeconomic center of the country and is the hub of the main import and export routes. A multi-layer approach was used to explore material and energy flows in the Peruvian capital for a 10-year timeframe. Results show that in 2006 the GDP of the 49 districts that shape the metropolitan area of Lima was 105.2 billion USD-PPP, while in 2014 it reached about 200 billion USD-PPP. Based on this growth, we highlight that energy, electricity and water flows experienced a linear increase with respect to GDP, being the electricity consumption in years 2006, 2011 and 2014, 7295, 10,112, and 11,465 GWh, respectively. Regarding demographics, population growth ratios of GDP (650%), electricity consumption (400%), solid waste production (250%), and water (100%) confirm the results of super linear scaling found by Kennedy et al. (2015) for the other megacities. Finally, the increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions was computed following an important shift in the primary energy sources to produce electricity. The most important change was linked to the shift from hydropower to natural gas, a trend that initiated in 2006. For instance, in 2001 79% of the total electricity production came from hydropower, whereas in 2014 69% was linked to natural gas. This shift produced an increase of GHG emissions of more than 200% in 2014 when compared to the electricity generation mix of 2001. Following these results, we strongly encourage policies for the decarbonization of the electricity production sector, as well as for mobility infrastructures, e.g., electric public and transport sector, with a progressive shift toward electric mobility.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsc.2020.00040/fullurban metabolismmegacitiesclimate policyenergy efficiencyenergy policy |
| spellingShingle | Angelo Facchini Angelo Facchini R. Mele Guido Caldarelli The Urban Metabolism of Lima: Perspectives and Policy Indications for GHG Emission Reductions Frontiers in Sustainable Cities urban metabolism megacities climate policy energy efficiency energy policy |
| title | The Urban Metabolism of Lima: Perspectives and Policy Indications for GHG Emission Reductions |
| title_full | The Urban Metabolism of Lima: Perspectives and Policy Indications for GHG Emission Reductions |
| title_fullStr | The Urban Metabolism of Lima: Perspectives and Policy Indications for GHG Emission Reductions |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Urban Metabolism of Lima: Perspectives and Policy Indications for GHG Emission Reductions |
| title_short | The Urban Metabolism of Lima: Perspectives and Policy Indications for GHG Emission Reductions |
| title_sort | urban metabolism of lima perspectives and policy indications for ghg emission reductions |
| topic | urban metabolism megacities climate policy energy efficiency energy policy |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsc.2020.00040/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT angelofacchini theurbanmetabolismoflimaperspectivesandpolicyindicationsforghgemissionreductions AT angelofacchini theurbanmetabolismoflimaperspectivesandpolicyindicationsforghgemissionreductions AT rmele theurbanmetabolismoflimaperspectivesandpolicyindicationsforghgemissionreductions AT guidocaldarelli theurbanmetabolismoflimaperspectivesandpolicyindicationsforghgemissionreductions AT angelofacchini urbanmetabolismoflimaperspectivesandpolicyindicationsforghgemissionreductions AT angelofacchini urbanmetabolismoflimaperspectivesandpolicyindicationsforghgemissionreductions AT rmele urbanmetabolismoflimaperspectivesandpolicyindicationsforghgemissionreductions AT guidocaldarelli urbanmetabolismoflimaperspectivesandpolicyindicationsforghgemissionreductions |