ABSTRACT
The most significant force in saving the planet is when cities begin to grow without using fossil fuels. The great urban revolution of the twentieth century was based around a continuing growth in the total and per capita consumption of fossil fuels leading to the problems of climate change, oil security, air pollution and urban sprawl. In 2008 the world began to invest more money in renewable energy than in fossil fuels to generate power. The lack of space in the inner suburbs and the extra utility bills in large houses in the suburbs suggests an emerging Low Carbon Urban Transition Theory. The new techniques of biophilic urbanism with green walls and green roofs, which are appearing in the many compact cities of Asia, are also needed as more compact urban fabric demands new ways of bringing nature into the city.
