Cities 1.5

Ecological economics lies at the heart of the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy and C40’s mission. It recognises that the former gold standard of measuring economic success – the growth of gross domestic product, or GDP – is no longer fit for purpose, despite the fact that it’s the model that most national governments still rely on. Policies that allow us to prioritize the vitality of both people and the environment  - and potentially a systemic re-think of our economic global systems - are vital for the welfare of our world. Existing and developing technologies cannot solve all of our problems: transitioning away from oil and gas and stopping unsustainable growth and overconsumption are the first steps to ensuring a future for our planet – and for us.Image Credit: Photo by Nik on UnsplashFeatured guests:Peter Victor is a world-leading expert in the field of ecological economics and the author of several books, including his latest, Escape from Overshoot: Economics for a Planet in Peril. He is also the author of the biography Herman Daly’s Economics for a Full World: His Life and Ideas and recently published a commentary in Volume 2, Issue 2 of the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy, titled “Herman Daly’s Great Debates,” which delves into the concepts national and city governments can and should be implementing from Daly’s extensive and formative works. LinksHerman Daly’s obituary by Professor Peter VictorCanadian Society of Ecological EconomicsBook review, Managing without GrowthGlobal Footprint NetworkFinance and Economics - C40 Knowledge HubEarth Overshoot DayIf 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 Calli Elipoulos and Peggy Whitfield. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music is by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/

Mark Watts, Executive director of C40 Cities, discusses the outcomes of COP28 and the urgent need for global emissions reductions. The podcast delves into the role of cities and mayors in driving climate action, sustainable urban development, and the importance of transitioning to renewable energy to combat climate change.

The UN Women slogan for International Women’s Day 2024 is “Invest in women: Accelerate progress,” and in support of this goal we’re opening Season 3 of Cities 1.5 with a production team takeover! David Miller may be the voice of the podcast, but our amazing production team is all female. Also, we hear from two amazing women who are working to ensure that women’s voices are heard, mainstreamed and amplified, and that their needs are centred in the battle to stop climate breakdown.Image Credit: Photo by Ruben Hutabarat on UnsplashFeatured guests:Xiye Bastida is a youth climate activist, co-founder the Re-Earth Initiative, lead organizer of Fridays for Future New York City, and Secretariat Team Member of Future Generations Tribunal. Born in Atlacomulco, Mexico, Xiye is a proud member of the Otomi-Toltec Indigenous community. She is an undergraduate student set to receive her bachelor’s degree from the prestigious University of Pennsylvania this year, and will also be debuting The Whale Lagoon, a film she co-wrote and executive produced.Silvia Marcon is the Head of Global Leadership at C40. She works with the Chair of C40, Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, her team in Paris, and the C40 Executive Director team to set the Chair’s strategic vision, implement their priorities, and coordinate Steering Committee engagement. Silvia leads the Women4Climate initiative, designed to advance and support the emergence of the next generation of female climate leaders in C40 Cities.Special thanks to Jess, Peggy, and Dali of the Cities 1.5 Production Team for lending their voices to this episode.LinksThe Lasting Legacy of Women4ClimateJournal of City Climate Policy and Economy United Nations: International Women’s Day March 8 The Re-Earth InitiativeXiye Bastida websiteHow Xiye Bastida Became a Leader in the Climate FightIf 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 Calli Elipoulos and Peggy Whitfield. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music is by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/

This past December, COP28 signalled the beginning of the end of the fossil fuel era. 150 heads of state came to the consensus that in order to halve emissions by 2030 - the target that scientists have warned us be must adhere to in order to avoid climate catastrophe - we must transition away from dirty energy. This is a monumental moment for our planet…and cities are going to be leading the way as we execute on these actions.In season 3 of Cities 1.5, host David Miller is speaking to urban leaders who are driving change locally, with global impacts. Featuring guests like: - Xiye Bastida, Youth Climate Activist - Mark Watts, C40 Executive Director - Agnes Agyepong, Founder and CEO of Global Black Maternal Health - ...and more!Season 3 of Cities 1.5 debuts March 5, with a new episode every Tuesday after that. 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 Calli Elipoulos and Peggy Whitfield. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music is by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has been warning us for decades that record-breaking, hot, fire- and smoke-filled summers like the one we just experienced will continue to be the new normal without huge and immediate cuts in global greenhouse gas emissions. The latest IPCC report serves as our last warning: carry on as we are and we’ll face ever-increasing extreme climate events, such as the terrible wildfires which just raged across Canada, leading to loss of life, property and livelihoods, as well as impacting on the health of millions. In our season two finale, we ask an IPCC contributor and a wildfire expert for advice on how to ensure there is a future for us all.Featured in this episode: António Guterres, UN Secretary GeneralFeatured guests:Jen Baron is a PhD candidate in the Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.  Jen has been featured extensively in both print and broadcast media, explaining the causes of the Canadian wildfires, their links to the climate crisis, and how best to prevent and manage them.Aromar Revi is the Director of India’s Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS). Co-Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Aromar is one of South Asia’s most experienced risk and disaster management professionals. He was a member of the Core Writing Team of the 2022 AR6 Synthesis Report, and helped produce previous IPCC reports. LinksFire and Climate: Connecting the Dots in British Columbia News Media - Canadian Journal of Communication, University Toronto PressAbrupt, climate-induced increase in wildfires in British Columbia since the mid-2000s - NatureA century of transformation - Jen Baron et al.C40 North America mayors' response to wildfires and air quality crisis in the region - C40 websiteIPCC Report - 8. Urban Areas - Aromar ReviIf 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 Calli Elipoulos and Peggy Whitfield. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music is by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/

In the face of enforced mass migration, the rising cost of recovery from increasing climate disasters, and an uncertain future without drastic and immediate action, it’s important to hold up examples of cities and projects that are successful in their innovative climate actions. In this episode, we look at climate projects in Curitiba, Brazil, and Barranquilla, Colombia, that are working towards saving the planet while making their cities more prosperous and resilient.Featured guests:Mayor Rafael Greca was elected to his current mayorship of the city of Curitiba, Brazil in 2017. His city participates in the Pathway Towards Zero Waste and Urban Nature C40 Accelerator programs. Curitiba has also produced a number of innovative projects and case studies, including a hydroelectric power plant, water shortage reduction programs, community gardens, modernized bus rapid transit, and the transformation of a landfill into a solar pyramid. Mayor Jaime Pumarejo was elected Mayor of Barranquilla, Colombia in 2019. Under his leadership, the award-winning Todos al Parque initiative – a massive park regeneration scheme – has transformed Barranquilla, improving the health wellbeing and safety of residents. Due to its location and resources, Barranquilla is also a main landing hub for people displaced by climate change impacts: through his work with the Mayors Migration Council, Mayor Pumajero advocates equitably for all members of Barranquilla’s expanding community. LinksSolar Energy for Social Housing in Curitiba - C40 CitiesC40-MMC Global Mayors Task Force on Climate and Migration - C40 CitiesKeeping 1.5°C Alive in the Global South: Life or Death - Journal of City Climate Policy and EconomyBIf 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 Calli Elipoulos and Peggy Whitfield. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music is by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”: the first line of the Charles Dickens novel A Tale of Two Cities is an idea that the two cities featured in this episode’s case study know all too well. The Global South’s Nairobi, Kenya and the Global North’s Rotterdam in the Netherlands are half a world apart, but they’re each facing similar and equally dire climate consequences that are caused by and a threat to the major economic driver of import and export in their cities. But in the face of these “worst of times,” both of these cities are implementing the best and most innovative strategies they can to curb climate impact and make their key industries and transportation systems more resilient and sustainable. Featured guests:Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb has helped Rotterdam become one of Europe’s most diverse, dynamic, and multicultural cities. Thanks to his leadership, Rotterdam has evolved into an open and progressive urban centre with a strong emphasis on circularity, sustainability, and innovation. Mayor Aboutaleb has a well-earned global reputation as one of the world’s most respected and appreciated mayors. Maurice Kavai is the Deputy Director, Climate Change, for Nairobi City County. The main goal of his work is to ensure that climate actions are streamlined within Nairobi’s urban programs, and to anchor all sector initiatives and development plans into the city’s climate action plan. Nairobi urban planning strategies include projects such as their railway city master plan, which will integrate mixed-use development, including affordable housing, with the railway transport network. The city also has previous successes with co-developed, inclusive planning processes, such as that which they undertook with the Mukuru Informal Settlement.Links“Keeping 1.5°C Alive in the Global South: Life or Death,” by Pamela Escobar Vargas, Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy.Dutch landscape shifts with North Sea wind farms, onshore hubs - ReutersRoadmap ZECL: Moving towards Zero Emission City Logistics in Rotterdam in 2025 - C40 Knowledge HubCommunity-led upgrade to a Nairobi slum could be a model for Africa - The GuardianWork Begins on Much-Awaited Nairobi Railway City - Construction KenyaIf 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 Calli Elipoulos and Peggy Whitfield. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music is by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/

July 2023 was the hottest month globally since records began. Combine that with several months filled with a series of extreme weather events - from heatwaves in Europe, North America and Asia, to wildfires in Canada and Greece - and it’s undeniable that the impacts of climate change that experts have long been warning us about are here today. And the worse news is that it’s only going to get hotter.Featured guests:Eugenia Kargbo is Freetown, Sierra Leone’s Chief Heat Officer. Her role is the first of its kind in Africa, and her duties include raising public awareness about extreme heat, improving responses to heat waves, and collecting heat impact data for her city of 1.2 million people. Her team’s Freetown the Treetown project was a 2023 nominee for the Protect and Restore Nature Earthshot Award.Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis served as the Mayor of Athens from 2019 to the end of 2023. He has worked at the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and has held positions in the European Parliament in Brussels and the World Bank in Kosovo. He is also the vice president of the Hellenic Agency for Local Development and Local Government, and a Greek Leadership Council member of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Links:Hot Cities, Chilled Economies: Freetown, Sierra LeoneFreetown’s highly replicable way of self-financing urban reforestation - C40 Knowledge HubFreetown the Treetown - EarthshotEleni Myrivili: A three-part plan to take on extreme heat waves - C40 Knowledge HubHeatwave tips from Athens: Cool routes app, new pocket parks and renovating a Roman aqueduct - EuronewsImage credit: © Erin Dwi Azmi C40If 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 Calli Elipoulos and Peggy Whitfield. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music is by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/

Climate breakdown is happening, and the cost of ignoring this phenomenon will be far greater than the cost of immediate action. We know that green investments promote the transition to a more resilient, prosperous, and sustainable economy. But what are the steps that cities need to take in order to shift their investments away from fossil fuels? How can policy makers support the creation of good, green jobs - while still protecting the climate?Featured guests:Daniel Zarrilli is the Special Advisor for Climate and Sustainability at Columbia University where he is supporting the creation of its new, world-leading Climate School and advising on pathways to achieve the university’s deep decarbonization goals. During his time working in the NYC Mayor’s Office, New York City committed to divesting entirely from fossil fuel funds and C40 Mayor Blasio (along with current C40 chair, Mayor Sadiq Khan of London) founded the Divest/Invest forum, an initiative aimed to build capacity and knowledge sharing for cities.Dr Savannah Cox has recently accepted the position of Lecturer in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at the University of Sheffield in England. She is an interdisciplinary qualitative social scientist studying urban planning for climate change and urban climate justice, with a focus on financial systems and infrastructure. Dr Zac Taylor is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Management in the Built Environment at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. His research advances critical and practical knowledge of climate finance with the place-specific challenges of urban climate action.  LinksC40 Divest/Invest Forum"Interrupted rhythms and uncertain futures" - Sarah Knuth, Savannah Cox, Sahar Zavareh Hofmann, John Morris, Zac Taylor & Beki McElvainSpotlight On: Cities Divest-Invest - C40 Knowledge HubBuilding climate resilience in cities through inIf 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 Calli Elipoulos and Peggy Whitfield. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music is by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/

C40 and the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy are providing an opportunity for cities to rethink conventional economic systems, like capitalism, that have led to the climate crisis. It is abundantly clear that the economic rules and systems created after WWII have led to twin crises: climate change and continued inequality. It’s necessary to unpack these theories to better understand their impacts and relation to climate breakdown and figure out more effective economic strategies that cities can use to restore justice and health to our planet. But what exactly do cities need to understand - and do - to make this happen?Featured guests:Sandrine Dixson-Declève is the co-president of The Club of Rome and an international climate change thought leader. When she is not leading The Club of Rome, she also serves as an advisor, lecturer, and facilitator for difficult conversations about the climate crisis. Recently, The Club of Rome published Earth for All – A Survival Guide for Humanity, which revisits theories behind the degrowth and wellbeing movements that The Club of Rome helped to form fifty years ago. Sandrine was recognised most recently by Reuters as one of 25 global female trailblazers leading the fight against climate change.Councillor Susan Aitken was elected to the Langside of Glasgow, Scotland, in 2012 and became Leader of Glasgow City Council - the Scottish equivalent to mayor - in 2017. Before being elected, Susan worked in a variety of policy and research roles in the Scottish Parliament and the third sector and as a freelance writer and editor specialising in health and social care policy. She is a graduate of both Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities.Links“Prosperity Beyond Growth: An Emerging Agenda for European Cities,” by Ben Rogers et al., Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy“Cities Can Lead the Energy Employment Transition … but They Must Plan for It,” by Jim StanfordThe Limits to GrowthScientist Johan Rockström Explains Earth's Climate Tipping Points - Global Commons AllianceGlasgow’s Regional Economic StrategyWellbeing economy policy design guide - C40 Knowledge HubIf 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 Calli Elipoulos and Peggy Whitfield. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music is by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/