Once again we are witnessing another COP summit. We understand the actions that need to be taken – they haven’t changed, but with every moment of inaction the need to act becomes more urgent. We know that cities are the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions. Analysis shows that they consume 78 percent of the world’s energy, yet account for less than two percent of the Earth’s surface.

As architects, we understand our role is to address the contribution of this small but vital fraction of the world to a warming planet. This is a global challenge that should unite our profession, but the organisations we look to for leadership too often focus on politics and issues close to home – and too often, that home is London, not even the rest of the UK.

Marvin Gaye was singing about the state of the environment in 1970. It was an issue then, and we should have acted then. Looking back, the pace of realisation, let alone action, has been far too slow.

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