Skip to main content
UK - Financial Adviser
Select Region Select User Type
  • Global
    • Home
  • UK Investors
    • Financial Adviser
    • Private Investor
  • International Investors
    • Private Investor
    • Professional Investor
  • Fund Centre
    • Our Funds
      • Equities
        • Rathbone Global Opportunities Fund
        • Rathbone Greenbank Global Sustainability Fund
        • Rathbone Income Fund Fund
        • Rathbone UK Opportunities Fund
      • Fixed Income
        • Rathbone Ethical bond Fund
        • Rathbone High Quality Bond Fund
        • Rathbone Strategic Bond Fund
        • Rathbone Greenbank Global Sustainable Bond Fund
      • Multi-Asset
        • Rathbone Greenbank Multi-Asset Portfolios
        • Rathbone MULTI-ASSET PORTFOLIOS
      • Sustainable
        • Rathbone Greenbank Global Sustainable Bond Fund
        • Rathbone Greenbank Global Sustainability Fund
        • Rathbone Greenbank Multi-Asset Portfolios
    • Literature Library
    • Consumer Duty
    • Prices and Performance
    • Glossary of Terms and FAQs
  • Strategies
    • Equities
    • Fixed Income
    • Multi-Asset
    • Sustainable
  • Our Clients
    • Private Investor
    • Financial Adviser
    • International Private Investor
    • International Financial Adviser
  • Rathbones
  • Global Home
  • Insights
    • Fund Insights
    • In the know blog
    • Review of the week
    • The Sharpe End podcast
  • About us
    • About us
    • Our People
    • Awards
    • Media centre
    • Responsible Investing at Rathbones
  • Contact
Home Home

Search

  • Fund Centre
    • Our Funds
      • Equities
        • Rathbone Global Opportunities Fund
        • Rathbone Greenbank Global Sustainability Fund
        • Rathbone Income Fund Fund
        • Rathbone UK Opportunities Fund
      • Fixed Income
        • Rathbone Ethical bond Fund
        • Rathbone High Quality Bond Fund
        • Rathbone Strategic Bond Fund
        • Rathbone Greenbank Global Sustainable Bond Fund
      • Multi-Asset
        • Rathbone Greenbank Multi-Asset Portfolios
        • Rathbone MULTI-ASSET PORTFOLIOS
      • Sustainable
        • Rathbone Greenbank Global Sustainable Bond Fund
        • Rathbone Greenbank Global Sustainability Fund
        • Rathbone Greenbank Multi-Asset Portfolios
    • Literature Library
    • Consumer Duty
    • Prices and Performance
    • Glossary of Terms and FAQs
  • Strategies
    • Equities
    • Fixed Income
    • Multi-Asset
    • Sustainable
  • Our Clients
    • Private Investor
    • Financial Adviser
    • International Private Investor
    • International Financial Adviser
  • Rathbones
  • Global Home
  • Insights
    • Fund Insights
    • In the know blog
    • Review of the week
    • The Sharpe End podcast
  • About us
    • About us
    • Our People
    • Awards
    • Media centre
    • Responsible Investing at Rathbones
  • Contact
Home

Search

Planet Papers 6: Cities to the rescue

Why our planet needs them to survive

14 April 2021

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Knowledge and Insight
  3. Planet Papers 6: Cities to the rescue

Article last updated 19 February 2023.

Back to Planet Papers hub

Though it may not seem like it, given the urgent and incessant news bombardment of the internet age, the world has lived through an extraordinary run of abundance in the past few decades. The rapid modernisation of developing nations, increasing globalisation and a brisk pace of technological progress led to a surge in the productive capacity of the world. In short, more stuff could be made quicker and cheaper than ever before. Fewer trade barriers allowed these cheaper toys, tools and appliances to be sold all over the world, boosting the buying power of hundreds of millions of people.

Urbanisation has been a pivotal driver of this progress. Cities and towns are where people meet to live, laugh and hatch plans for future greatness. Yet there is another, equally important, factor that has supported this boon: cheap and plentiful energy. And it has dramatically altered how we design our towns and cities, making them more diffuse, less dynamic and more energy inefficient.

It is as much a shame as it is a truth: crude oil is the bedrock of our modern society. Without it, our economies and our societies would disintegrate. Oil is in virtually everything manmade that we touch. It is used to grease the machines that make our goods, if not in the goods themselves (plastics). It is especially ubiquitous in transportation: the 20th century was the age of the motor car. And not much has yet changed in the 21st century either. Technological breakthroughs made petrol and diesel ever cheaper to extract and refine, and more efficient to convert into energy. But while that has lowered oil usage per head, the world is using 50% more oil now than we were in 1980 and 25% more than in 2000. This is unsustainable.

We’ve managed to harness different, more sustainable technologies and use them to reduce our reliance on finite and damaging carbon–based energy. But to complete this journey, we need to significantly reduce our energy consumption as well. That’s where we believe cities and towns can again drive progress. Smarter urban planning that allows for more walking, cycling and better public transport could massively reduce energy usage and rejuvenate our centres into the bargain. It could make us happier too.

View Planet Papers 6: Cities to the rescue

 

Read our entire Planet Papers series here:

Planet Papers 1: A responsible recovery

Planet Papers 2: Changing the planet   Planet Papers 3: A brand new world    Planet Papers 4: Feeding the planet   Planet Papers 5: The economic ecosystem 



Planet Papers 7: Good COP, bad COP    

Earth Convention webinar: Sustainable cities

In this session we explore which cities across the world are taking the greenest initiatives and showing the most promise. In the aftermath of COVID19 we see new patterns of work and commuting. 

Back to Planet Papers hub

Popular Articles

9341_multi-asset_webinar_cm.jpg
26 February 2025

Multi-Asset Webcast | February 2025

We are delighted to invite you to our upcoming webcast with Will McIntosh-Whyte, fund manager of the Rathbone Multi-Asset Portfolios.

Find out more

1 min

ethical bond fund field
30 April 2025

Ethical Bond Webcast | April 2025

After a period of volatility in risk markets, Bryn will give his views on the outlook for rates and credit markets and will go into how the Washington whack-a-mole politics are creating very short-term volatility.

Find out more

1 min

9341_multi-asset_webinar_cm.jpg
14 May 2025

Multi-Asset Webcast | May 2025

Join David Coombs, Head of Multi-Asset Investments of the Rathbone Multi-Asset Portfolios, for his next webcast on Wednesday 14 May at 10.00 am.

Find out more

1 min

MOST READ
  1. Multi-Asset Webcast | February 2025

  2. Ethical Bond Webcast | April 2025

  3. Multi-Asset Webcast | May 2025

  4. Income Fund | June 2025

  5. Review of the week: The emperor's new tariffs

Let's Talk

Ready to start a conversation? Please complete our enquiry form, we look forward to speaking with you

Enquire
  • Important Information
    • Brexit Statement
    • Important information
    • UK Modern Slavery Act
    • Accessibility
    • Privacy
    • Cookies
    • Cookie preferences
    • Complaints
  • Important Information
    • Consumer Duty
    • Voting disclosure
    • Assessment of value reports
    • TCFD Reports
    • SDR Consumer-Facing Disclosures
    • Financial Ombudsman Service
    • Financial Services Compensation Scheme
    • Glossary of terms and FAQs
    • MIFIDPRU8
Address

Rathbones Asset Management
30 Gresham Street
London
EC2V 7QN

Rathbones Asset Management Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and a member of the Investment Association. A member of the Rathbone Group. Registered Office 30 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7QN. Registered in England No 02376568.

© 2025 Rathbones Group Plc
Incorporated and registered in England and Wales. Registered number 01000403

Follow us
LinkedIn
City Hive Logo
ACT Logo

Rathbones Asset Management is delighted to be an early signatory of the ACT Framework created by City Hive

Diversity Project Logo

Rathbones Asset Management is a member of The Diversity Project

The value of your investments and the income from them may go down as well as up, and you could get back less than you invested.