Inside the C40 World Mayors Summit: The battle for cities, truth, and a fossil-free future at COP30 and beyond

In the first episode of our two-part World Mayors Summit special, we heard from mayors around the world about the power of convenings like the Summit to unite city leaders and spark collaboration. In this second episode, we explore what that collaboration looks like in practice, from new approaches to urban planning and the challenge of energy-hungry data centres, to fossil-free trucks and greener and cleaner shipping routes.

We also explore the outcomes for cities that came out of COP30 with voices from people who were on the ground in Belém…and also from a Brazilian climate leader who had a front-row seat before, during, and after what many have been calling the most important COP since the Paris Agreement. 

Photo credit: © C40 Cities

Special thanks to Pauline Eloi, Director of the Executive C40 Office and Yasmin Calandrini, Manager, CHAMP National Engagement, for their on-the-ground support in Rio for the production of this episode. 

Featured guests:

Kirk Watson, Mayor of Austin, USA

Carola Schouten, Mayor of Rotterdam, Netherlands

Nick Reece, Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Australia

Christiana Figueres, Founding Partner of Global Optimism and Co-presenter of Outrage + Optimism

Ilan Cuperstein, C40 Regional Director for Latin America and Head of International Relations for the City of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Mark Watts, Executive Director of C40 Cities

Lars Weiss, Lord Mayor of Copenhagen, Denmark

Eduardo Pimentel, Mayor of Curitiba, Brazil

Eirik Lae Solberg, Governing Mayor of Oslo, Norway

Dr. Nasiphi Moya, Mayor of Tshwane, South Africa

Links:

Outrage + Optimism - Inside COP

Learn about the many versions of COP30's "Global Mutirão"

Winners: Clean, Reliable Transportation (Oslo Fossil Free Trucks)

Tshwane C40 Cities regional sustainability masterclass

The Environmental Cost of Data Centers

COP30 Local Leaders Forum Statement

If you want to learn more about the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy, please visit our website at https://jccpe.utpjournals.press/

Listen to the Cities 1.5 five-part miniseries “Going Steady with Herman Daly: How to Unbreak the Economy (and the Planet)" here: https://lnk.to/HDMiniSeries

Cities 1.5 is produced by the University of Toronto Press and the C40 Centre, and is supported by C40 Cities. Sign up to the Centre newsletter: https://thecentre.substack.com/

Writing and executive production by Peggy Whitfield.

Comms support by Chiara Morfeo.

Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/

Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/

Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/