Summary/Abstract
Sustainable urban development measures such as public transportation, walkable cities, and small living spaces are often recommended to reduce per-capita carbon emissions related to transportation, energy use, and land use change. However, information about the impacts of the built environment on per-capita carbon emissions are much more available on the local level than nationally, due to the complexity of aggregating highly particularized data. This peer-reviewed study uses broad indicators of urban structures such as main infrastructure features alongside territorial emissions data and GDP to identify indicators of high per-capita carbon emissions. While high population density is typically associated with lower per capita emissions on a municipal level, researchers found this correlation to be weaker than expected nationally. GDP was found to be the most important predictor of per-capita CO₂ emissions, followed by built land area per person. Understanding these patterns is crucial for creating urban planning that promotes energy-efficiency, accessible transportation, and minimized impacts of the surrounding environment.