A compact municipality has lower transportation emissions and energy demand as people have more opportunity to walk and cycle. Transit investments are more financially feasible in this context, granting improved access to amenities and increased commuting options. Transit infrastructure attracts further development and the city continues to densify, with carbon emissions declining further and further as a positive feedback loop is created.
By contrast, any future development that results in new residential and commercial development that is not accessible to transit, walking, and cycling increases GHG emissions and energy requirements.
Complete, compact communities increase the feasibility of low-carbon energy systems such as district energy and reduces the financial cost and the GHG impact of providing municipal services such as roads, water and wastewater, fire protection, and transportation, and even provision of home-based health care. Land-use planning can therefore enable, inhibit or prevent attaining a low or zero carbon economy.