In this episode of Cities 1.5, David and his guests from countries on opposite sides of the equator, South Africa and Scotland, explore how urban initiatives are transforming local communities through holistic climate action and wellbeing practices. Linear economic systems - previously the global status quo - have been proven time and again to be ineffective at prioritizing wellbeing for all…especially when we compare them with circular models that emphasize restoration. Grassroots projects like Scotland's Love Letham and Johannesburg's Makers Valley, which focus on sustainable development, community engagement, and empowerment naturally emphasize the importance of inclusivity, indigenous values, and collective action in addressing socioeconomic and environmental challenges. Our expert guests in this episode demonstrate how in both the Global South and North, participatory decision-making and community-driven projects can tackle poverty, improve health, and enhance urban resilience by integrating climate and anti-poverty policies.
Image Credit: Photo by Jeswin Thomas @Unsplash
Featured guests:
Thobile Chittenden is Network Co-Lead at the Wellbeing Economy Alliance and the CEO of the Makers Valley Partnership in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Hollie Irvine is the Project Lead of Love Letham in Perth, Scotland - one of four Wellbeing Economy pilot city projects from the Wellbeing Economy Alliance (WEAll).
Links
Lessons in Wellbeing Economics: Engaging local communities to bring Academic Principles into Urban Practice - Episode 12, Season 3, Cities 1.5
Policy Design for a Wellbeing Economy - Lessons from Four City Pilots - The Journal of City Climate Policy & Economy, Volume 2 Issue 2, January 2024
Wellbeing Economy Alliance
Makers Valley
A New Story Unfolds - Poem by Thobile Chittenden
Love Letham Project - Perth, Scotland
Official child poverty statistics - Child Poverty Action Group (Scotland)
New report shows what Letham’s children need to thrive - Love Letham website
If you want to learn more about the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy, please visit our website: https://jccpe.utpjournals.press/
Cities 1.5 is produced by the University of Toronto Press and Cities 1.5 is supported by C40 Cities and the C40 Centre for City Climate Policy and Economy. You can sign up to the Centre newsletter here. https://thecentre.substack.com/
Our executive producers are Peggy Whitfield and Chiara Morfeo.
Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/
Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/
Music is by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/