Cities 1.5
Cities as Urban Laboratories: Time to re-think what prosperity really means?
Apr 8, 2025
Angelos Varvarousis, a professor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona specializing in degrowth economics, and Takehiko Nagumo, director of the Smart City Institute Japan, engage in a stimulating discussion about reimagining urban prosperity. They explore how cities like Barcelona and Girona are piloting innovative economic concepts that prioritize well-being over GDP. The duo also highlights Japan's focus on creating well-being indicators for smart cities, challenging traditional growth metrics and emphasizing the importance of equitable urban development.
58:00
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Quick takeaways
- Cities like Barcelona and Tokyo are pioneering new governance models that prioritize citizen well-being over conventional economic growth metrics.
- Innovative measures, such as Japan's livable well-being city indicator, provide a holistic assessment of urban quality of life beyond GDP.
Deep dives
The Limitations of Traditional Economic Measures
Traditional economic indicators, such as gross domestic product (GDP), are inadequate for assessing the true well-being of cities. GDP fails to account for critical factors like air quality, poverty levels, and access to nature, all of which significantly impact residents' quality of life. Notably, GDP can obscure reality; for instance, Ukraine's economy saw a boost during wartime, even as the happiness and safety of its citizens declined sharply. This reliance on GDP demonstrates that conventional measures often mask real social issues and do not reflect a city's livability and sustainability.
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