Cities 1.5

We live in the age of technology…in the blink of an eye, the Internet and social media have created new opportunities, jobs, and possibilities for connection. But they have also fuelled polarization, persecution, and real-world violence. Artificial intelligence, or AI, promises to turbocharge this revolution. But many questions remain unanswered by the advocates of these new technologies. Can we afford to let AI use infinite amounts of energy? Is it possible to create planetary responsible AI, or is that just a pipe dream? And if the need arises, how can we resist these dark machines?Image credit: This image was AI-generated and does not depict real events.Featured guest:Victor Galaz is an academic and author whose expertise lies at the intersection of governance, climate and technology. He is an Associate Professor in Political Science at the Stockholm Resilience Centre, and a Program Director at the Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics. His most recent book is Dark Machines: How Artificial Intelligence, Digitalization and Automation is Changing our Living Planet and he is also co-founder of the Biosphere Code. Links:AI and the Future of Cities - Fortune The workers already replaced by artificial intelligence - BBCAI voice cloning tools imitating political leaders threaten elections -  The IndependentNew AI Now Paper Highlights Risks of Commercial AI Used In Military Contexts - AI Now InstituteA.I. has a discrimination problem - CNBCGenerative AI’s environmental impact - MIT The ‘AI divide’ between the Global North and the Global South - World Economic ForumIf 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/

In times of uncertainty, leadership is key...but so is vision. As the climate crisis deepens, and people across the world are facing economic hardship and experiencing the increasing impacts of the climate crisis, mapping out an alternative to neoliberal economics, inequality and unmitigated climate breakdown has never been more vital. In our season opener, we speak to two women who are doing just that. Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr of Freetown is using an innovative, inclusive and data-driven approach to addressing the challenges her city faces, and is a powerful advocate for unlocking urban climate finance. Gaya Herrington is one of the world’s leading voices in the wellbeing economics space, using her platform to argue for the transformation of our economic system away from unsustainable growth to one that prioritizes human and planetary wellbeing. Featured guests:Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr has served as the Mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone, since 2018. She is also the Co-Chair of C40 Cities. Gaya Herrington is sustainability researcher, wellbeing economist, thought leader and author of “Five Insights for Avoiding Global Collapse”.Links:What happened at the U20 Summit in Rio? C40 websiteIDB and C40 to Strengthen Partnership for Climate Action - IDB websitePlanting 1 million trees to turn the temperature down - Cities 1.5 podcast episode, featuring Eugenia Kargbo, Freetown Chief Heat OfficerRegenerative Economics - The Regenerative CentreWill the end of economic growth come by design — or disaster? Gaya Herrington, TedTalkThe Limits to Growth model: still prescient 50 years later Gaya Herrington, Club of Rome websiteTurnaround Empowerment & Focus on gender equality Club of Rome websiteWho Cooked Adam Smith’s Dinner? A review Women’s Budget Group websiteIf 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/

The world is standing on the brink…the deepening  impacts of the climate crisis, rising inequality and increasing levels of economic turmoil are affecting us all. But we now face a new threat: a powerful network of autocrats,  billionaires. and demagogues and fossil fuel industry leaders has emerged. This climate crisis denying coalition is weaponising disinformation and  manipulating societal distress and uncertainty in a bid to steer us into the arms of far-right populism and away from the global systems change we need. Mayors, cities, academics, scientists, economists, activists and civil society must step up and form a global axis of resistance to challenge those who threaten our way of life…and ultimately, the very survival of our world.Season 5 of Cities 1.5 returns March 11th, with a new episode every Tuesday after that. Ask a friend to join the global resistance by inviting them to search for Cities 1.5 wherever they get their podcasts!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/

In this final episode of Season 4 of Cities 1.5, David has conversations with two formidable and inspiring women who are fighting to protect the health of people and the planet from Lima, Peru and New Orleans, USA. As the impacts of the climate crisis hit harder and more frequently, the effects this has on human health also multiply. It is key that urban areas plan and adapt to meet the growing challenges of temperature rise, food insecurity, migration, and more. Of course, extreme weather events often have the most catastrophic consequences for humanity, leading to mass displacement, injury, disease and death. But if the worst happens, it is possible for cities and their residents to unite and rebuild to create a more resilient future…and other communities can learn lessons from their leadership. Image Credit: Persnickety Prints @ UnsplashFeatured guests:Professor Stella Hartinger Peña is the Regional Director of Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change for Latin America, and Associate Professor at Cayetano Heredia University in Peru. Mayor LaToya Cantrell is the Mayor of New Orleans, a position which she has held since 2018.Links: Solved: How the World’s Great Cities Are Fixing the Climate Crisis - David MillerThe Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change Annual ReportThe Impact of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans - Big Easy MagazineAddressing the Health Care Impact of Hurricane Katrina - The Kaiser CommissionWhat happened at the U20 Summit in Rio? - C40 COP29: Is the Loss and Damage Fund Becoming an Empty Promise? - Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Broadmoor Lives On: How a Community Saved Their New Orleans Neighborhood - The Clinton FoundationNew Orleans, Reinvented - The AtlanticThis is how New Orleans is rebuilding to be more resilient - Global Center on AdaptationSolar and energy efficiency for all - NOLAIf 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/

In a very Canadian episode of Cities 1.5, David discusses the urgent need for both local and global climate action with a focus on biodiversity with Mayor Valérie Plante of Montréal and Elizabeth Hendricks from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Canada. They share insights on urban biodiversity initiatives, the impact and outcomes of COP15 and COP16, and the importance of integrating nature-based solutions to combat the climate crisis. The episode also highlights the critical role cities play in preserving natural ecosystems, supporting public health, and ensuring a sustainable future where all can thrive.Image Credit: Donovan Kelly @ PexelsFeatured guests:Mayor Valérie Plante has served as the Mayor of Montréal since 2017.Elizabeth Hendriks is a freshwater policy specialist and Vice President of Restoration and Regeneration at WWF Canada.Links: WWF Living Planet Report 2024: A Planet in CrisisDegradation of nature could reduce UK GDP by 12 per cent - UN Environment ProgrammeLast-minute pledges and sobering science: Where is the World, Post-COP28? Cities 1.5 podcast, featuring Professor Xuemei BaiArctic impacts: The human cost of melting ice - Cities 1.5 podcast, featuring Sheila Watt-CloutierCOP15 ends with landmark biodiversity agreement - UN Environment ProgrammeThe Darlington ecological corridor: a green link in CDN-NDG - City of MontréalVideo featuring Sadiq Khan, “Doers not Delayers” - C40 Cities InstagramMontréal Breaks Ground on City’s Largest-Ever ‘Sponge Park’ - Stormwater ReportMontréal biodomeWWF Canada re:grow programCOP16 ends in disarray and indecision despite biodiversity breakthroughs - The GuardianFreshwater 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/

In this episode of Cities 1.5, David revisits and follows up on a very special collaboration between C40 and Museum for the United Nations - UN Live which he participated in during the Summit of the Future and Climate Week in New York in early autumn, 2024. David, along with Sasha Rodericks and Kayla Archer share their reflections on the power of cross-cultural and cross-sectoral communication in this increasingly polarized planet, with thoughts about creative solutions, spirituality, and the essential role of storytelling in fostering a collective sense of purpose and agency from other portal contributors.Image Credit: Kyle Corea for UN Live/ Shared StudiosFeaturing music by Mosoeu KetlelePanel participants in order of appearance: Nonhlanhla Moroenyane (Chef Noni): Healer and Ritualist; Alexandra Grubb: Sustainability Communications Director - Essity Group; Hector Mgiba (Xquizified): Co-CEO Makers Valley; Nicole Ng: Content Lead at TED Countdown; Angela Zhong: C40 Youth Hub member, activist and student; Thobile Chittenden: Community Builder and Network Co-Lead at the Wellbeing Economy Alliance; Jodi Lewchuck: Acquisitions Editor at University Toronto Press and writer; Masai Sepuru: Storyteller, Poet and Visual Artist: and David Miller, Managing Director, C40 Centre for City Climate Policy & Economy and author of the book “Solved: How the World’s Great Cities Are Fixing the Climate Crisis”. Featured guestsSasha Rodricks is the Director of Global We, Museum for the United Nations - UN Live.Kayla Archer is a Global We facilitator. She is also a writer, researcher and investigator with a strong focus on art pedagogy at the intersection of ecology.LinksFresh Milk Art Platform (Barbados)Green Lab Art AllianceUN Sustainable Development GoalsCities are critical: C40 reacts to the UN Pact for the Future - C40 websiteBarbaIf 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/

In this episode of Cities 1.5, David Miller speaks with Pragyna Senapati of Ripple Research about the pervasive impact of climate-related dis- and misinformation. In the past few years, false narratives have been pushed around climate issues in an attempt to derail the policies the world needs to protect the health of people and planet. Ripple has carried out extensive research of these misleading narratives and tactics at the nexus of climate and health and their investigations show clear and actionable strategies and pathways for combating false information through proactive policymaking and climate literacy. The recommendations Ripple and Pragnya offer are key for mayors and city governments to strengthen community resilience and push back on the false claims wielded by climate misinfluencers. Image Credit: Brian McGowan @ UnsplashFeatured guests:Pragnya Senapati is the Policy and Research Lead at Ripple Research, and graduate of the C40 Women4Climate program.LINKS: Disinformation Thrives in Times of Crisis - Cities 1.5World’s 1.5C climate target ‘deader than a doornail’, experts say - The GuardianSpanish floods: before and after footage shows the scale of destruction in Valencia - The GuardianHow rioting farmers unraveled Europe’s ambitious climate plan - VoxEU DisinfoLabEurope was a leader on saving nature. Now, its backsliding could threaten global progress - The Guardian Why Women are Saving the Planet - Cities 1.5The Natura 2000 protected areas network - EEADutch Farmers Protest Misinformation study - Ripple Research Meat and Dairy misinformation study - Ripple Research Investigation into Climate MiIf 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/

In this episode of Cities 1.5, David speaks with two urban climate leaders about the critical issue of energy access in Africa. Despite Africa's low contribution to global emissions, the continent faces a rising energy demand that necessitates a transition to renewable energy in order to ensure its accessibility for all. The fossil fuel industry has a devastating legacy across the African continent, leaving a trail of destruction in its polluting wake...and the oil lobby often presents pipelines to local communities as the only path forward - without disclosing the fact that they’re more unstable, dangerous and expensive than green alternatives. City leaders from diverse communities across this part of the world are fighting to facilitate energy access through innovative local policies to achieve a healthy, sustainable, equitable, future for all residents.Image Credit: Photo by Aaron Jones @ UnsplashFeatured guests:Hilda Flavia Nakabuye is a youth climate, gender and environmental rights activist and founder of the Uganda chapter of Fridays for Future, who is fighting to stop the development of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline.Dorah Modise is the Regional Director for Africa at C40 and is a sustainability enthusiast and expert.LINKS:Access to electricity - International Energy Agency Fridays for Future: UgandaStop the East Africa Crude Oil PipelineGlobal Witness condemns escalating arrests of climate campaigners in Uganda - Global Witness Decarbonising the city’s grid through solar farming and efficiency measures - South Africa, Cape Town, C40 Cities Finance FacilityA renewable energy roadmap for African cities - C40 Knowledge HubC40 Cities launches research on South Africa green jobsCities forge connections with private sector at Africa’s Green Economy Summit - C40 Empowering African youth for a sustaIf 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/

Extreme heat has a profound impact on human health - and the health of the planet, and all who live on it. In this episode, we hear firsthand accounts of extreme heat impacts from Cities 1.5 listeners around the world in Calgary, Canada, Athens, Greece and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and delve into the terrifying effects of rising temperatures on daily life - such as disease outbreaks and threats to vulnerable residents - especially in cities in the Global South, which face disproportionate risks with only limited resources. We are joined by experts working on the frontlines of resilience and adaptation, from Buenos Aires and Toronto, who share critical insights on how cities are safeguarding vulnerable communities amidst record-breaking heat, and the deadly health consequences that flow from it.Image Credit: Photo by T.H. Chia @ UnsplashFeatured guests:Amy Buitenhuis is the C40 Head of Urban Heat Programmes and co-manages the C40 Cool Cities Network. Patricia Himshoot is the Manager for Climate Change for the Buenos Aires city government in Argentina, and is a biologist by training.LinksSummer 2024 was world's hottest on record - BBC As heat wave scorches North India, scientists warn of risks from ‘wet bulb’ conditions - The ConversationHeat crisis - AccuWeatherHeat and Health - WHOThe Future We Don’t Want - C40 report Heat Action Platform - C40 Knowledge HubImpacts of climate change on Black populations in the United States - McKinsey Institute for Black Economic MobilityUrban Heat Island - National Geographic Addressing Urban Heat in Buenos Aires: Community-Led Solutions in Barrio 20 - Global Center on AdaptationBuenos Aires 'Citizens Ready Against Climatic Change’ Programme - C40 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/

In this episode of Cities 1.5, David Miller and his expert guests explore the multifaceted global housing crisis, as well as its ties to the climate crisis and the health of people and planet. Featuring personal stories and case studies from diverse regions that range from Toronto, to Colombia, to Gaza, we hear how cities around the world are advocating for housing as a human right, and delve into innovative solutions like social housing conversions, resilient housing strategies, and the importance of equitable and community-informed decision-making. Emphasizing the need for comprehensive, mission-driven approaches, these conversations highlight the critical intersections of housing security, health, and climate resilience - and, the calls being made for systemic changes and proactive investments to protect vulnerable populations in municipalities worldwide.Image Credit: Photo by T.H. Chia @ UnsplashFeatured guests:Leilani Farha is the Global Director of The Shift, host of the podcast Pushtalks, and former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing (2014-2020)Dr Elizabeth Hausler is the Founder and CEO of Build Change, and a global leader in the sector of planning for and creating sustainable and resilient housing - particularly in the Global SouthLINKS:Equity Needs to be at the Heart of Climate Action - Cities 1.5 podcastThe Global Housing Crisis: A Crisis Unlike Any Other - Urbanet Housing Rights - UN Habitat websiteGrenfell Tower fire report: who was at fault and what was landlord’s role? - The GuardianFirst images of Jasper after 100m high wildfire hit – BBCAffordable housing: A route to climate mitigation and resilience - C40 Knowledge HubResilient Housing Across the Americas - Build Change YouTube web seriesDestruction in Asheville Highlights the StuIf 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/