Introduction

The idea of cities where everything you need on a daily basis can be reached within a quarter of an hour by foot or bike has grown in popularity in recent years, as local authorities adopt more sustainable approaches to urban planning. In theory, by having work, shopping, education, healthcare, and leisure all within a short distance could reduce dependency on cars, improving personal health and lowering carbon emissions. But the idea of adapting cities in this way hasn’t been universally-welcomed. Presenter Graihagh Jackson is joined by: Jay Pitter, author and urban planner Mark Watts, Executive Director at C40 Cities Gian Carlo Vega, on-the-ground reporter in Bogotá, Colombia, who was joined by Vanessa Velasco, Urban Development Specialist at the World Bank Producer: Ben Cooper Researchers: Matt Toulson, Bethan Ashmead-Latham and Pierre-Antoine Denis Series Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: China Collins Sound engineer: Tom Brignell Production Coordinators: Siobhan Reed, Debbie Richford and Sophie Hill