Carbon emission is a natural phenomenon and will continue with or without humankind. However, in the last 100 years carbon levels have risen at an alarming pace, suggesting that human beings are responsible for this sudden steep rise. Scientific evidence indicates that if man-made carbon emissions continue to rise, climate change will make many already inhabited areas around the globe un-inhabitable, accompanied by natural disasters of unprecedented scale, looming migration of millions of refugees and the risk of wars over water.

To combat this situation, most countries have agreed at COP21 in Paris to reduce their carbon emissions to a sustainable level. This level is known as 'Carbon Neutral'. Some analysts call this equilibrium 'Footprint ONE'; others request that we become a '2000-Watt Society' until building technology and sequestration of carbon allows for netZero to become doable.

2000-Watt society is an energy and climate policy concept that addresses two societal challenges:

1. The scarcity of sustainably available energetic resources
2. The fair deployment of energy both in developed and in developing countries

This concept translates national energy and climate targets to the municipal level and provides a standardized, municipal accounting framework. It also offers a definition of 'net zero' for cities and municipalities.

The 2000-Watt Smart City (2000WSC) consists of a grid of dense, independent, and well-connected smaller units, called communities, micro-cities, neighborhoods, wards, or precincts.

• Density: The 2000WSC township must be large enough to offer all activities and services which the residents need on a daily basis, but small enough for everything to be within walking distance. That requires a high density around FAR=2 overall. The 2000WSC township is always mixed-use and multi-functional: Living, working, playing, relaxing, and learning must be well-balanced.
• Mixed Used: The 2000WSC-township must be able to manage its own infrastructure. Energy, water, waste, health facilities, schools, and security are under local jurisdiction and controlled by regional or state authorities.
• Connectivity: The 2000WSC township is self-sufficient on a local level, but interconnected with its surrounding, neighboring towns, state, and country. Connectivity for people, for goods, for energy, for information must be provided efficiently and comfortably.