The impact of mixed-use development, small businesses, and walkability on carbon emissions in cool climate cities

Abstract Cities in the United States (US) with a cool climate, such as Chicago and Boston, are experiencing a decrease in carbon emissions, possibly as a result of an emphasis on public transit and alternative energy sources. A dearth of dependable data on carbon emissions and urban comparison studies between metropolitan regions makes it difficult to support or refute ideal practices and policies. Thus, we evaluated the association between land use, walkability, socioeconomic characteristics, and carbon dioxide emissions at the level of the zip code. The current study analyzes the carbon footprints of four metropolitan locations in climatic zone 5 with a model of every US zip code in order to build a benchmarking prediction model for climate change in every US zip code. Our research indicates that in temperate climates, an increase in the number of enterprises within walking distance decreases CO2 emissions. This suggests that increasing the walkability of urban areas and renovating retail, art, entertainment, and leisure facilities in line with urban sustainability regulations can substantially reduce CO2 emissions.