Skip to content
Log in Join free
Cities 1.5 cover art

University of Toronto Press

Cities 1.5

A Earth Sciences , Science and Society & Culture podcast

#23 in Earth Sciences · 🇨🇦 #31 in Earth Sciences · 🇳🇿
Good podcast? Give it some love!

About the show

Cities 1.5 is a podcast featuring progressive policy conversations with urban leaders taking action to limit global heating to 1.5 degrees. Hosted by David Miller and developed by University of Toronto Press, this podcast serves as a platform to discuss the most pressing policy and underlying economic issues facing cities in their effort to lead on transformational climate action. The podcast is an extension of the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy (https://jccpe.utpjournals.press), which publishes timely, evidence-based research that contributes to the urban climate agenda and supports governmental policy towards an equitable and resilient world. Join Editor-in-Chief and host David Miller as he speaks with mayors, city policymakers, economists, youth leaders, and scholars, among others, who are implementing and fighting for ambitious, near-term climate action.

Newest episodes

Oh, Canada: Protecting our water, from deluge to drought

55 min

Canada might seem like an endless source for freshwater - but like everything else on Earth, this plentiful resource is ultimately finite. While much of Canada has yet to experience water-related issues, poorly managed and failing infrastructure combined with disruptions to sources like groundwater and glaciers mean more and more Canadians are confronting these impacts every year. David speaks with returning guest on the show, VP of Restoration and Regeneration at WWF Canada Elizabeth Hendricks, about how rapid warming in Canada since the 1970s has created changes in our ecology that need to be solved by nature-based solutions, stronger environmental protections, and better monitoring. He also sits down with the out-going mayor of Waterloo, ON, Dorothy McCabe, about how diminishing aquifer levels in the region has forced the city to reconsider the rate at which its developing, and who bears the true burden of worsening water stress. Last but certainly not least, David discusses how Indigenous knowledge can be better utilized in resource management with researcher Jana Wale, who’s work sits at the intersection of Indigenous leadership, climate science, and public policy to help create a better world for all Canadians.  Oh, Canada: Solutions for the Climate Crisis is supported by Elbows Up for Climate, The C40 Centre, and the University of Toronto Press.  Featured guests: Merlin Blackwell, former Mayor of Clearwater, BC Elizabeth Hendriks, Vice-President of Restoration and Regeneration at WWF Canada Dorothy McCabe, former Mayor of Waterloo, ON Janna Wale, Gitxsan (Gitanmaax First Nation) & Cree-Métis climate research leader, policy advisor, and speaker, Clean50 2026 award winner, and Indigenous Research and Partnerships Lead at PICS Links: Canada has 20 percent of the planet’s freshwater. But some worry there’s not enough to go around - Washington Post Climate impacts map - Elbows Up for Climate  State of Clean Water and Sanitation Systems in Canada - Canadian Infrast...

Oh, Canada: Impacts through Flames, Smoke, and Fire

1 hr 2 min

As catastrophic wildfires intensify across Canada - destroying homes, blanketing the country in smoke, forcing evacuations, and driving major economic losses - we ask in this episode what it will take to live with fire in a warming world.  David sits down with returning guest to the podcast, fire ecologist and professor Jen Baron, to hear how decades of suppression and the disruption of Indigenous cultural burning helped create today’s more severe, fast-moving fires. We also hear from Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland as he recounts the 2024 wildfire that destroyed 374 structures (including his own home!) despite strong preparation and makes the plea for disaster-ready, low-carbon housing and faster clean-energy transition to save other communities from the same destruction. David also speaks with Métis leader for the province of Alberta, Gabrielle Blatz, as she urges governments to include Indigenous knowledge and Métis women in emergency planning, and Clearwater Mayor Merlin Blackwell to hear how the residents of his own small town continue to fight for mitigation projects in the face of destructive pipeline expansions.  Oh, Canada: Solutions for the Climate Crisis is supported by Elbows Up for Climate, The C40 Centre, and the University of Toronto Press.  Featured guests: Dr Jen Baron,  Assistant Professor of Fire Ecology at the University of British Columbia Okanagan in the Center for Wildfire Coexistence Richard Ireland, Mayor of Jasper, AB Gabrielle Blatz, Otipemisiwak Métis Government's Provincial Secretary of Women, Gender Equity & Inclusion Merlin Blackwell, Mayor of Clearwater, BC Links: The Government of Canada provides an update regarding the 2026 wildfire season – August update - Public Safety Canada Centre for Wildfire Coexistence Indigenous Heritage in Kelowna - Tourism Kelowna   Attribution of the Influence of Human‐Induced Climate Change on an Extreme Fire Season - National Library of Medicine  America's Fires: A Historical Context for Policy and Practic...

Oh, Canada: How did we get here?

1 hr 3 min

Canada is having a moment: our reputation and soft power are growing. In the face of unexpected tariffs, a deepening housing crisis, and skyrocketing cost of living, Canadians are asking who we really are, what we want to stand for…and what lies ahead. There is great opportunity to be had, but also great risk in the road ahead. Canada needs energy independence and geopolitical protection - but Mark Carney’s federal government seems to be choosing a path of further baking in fossil fuels, rather than forging a progressive path that assures a safe future for all. Cities - and the people who call this country home - are asking for a different way forward.  The science is clear, and it’s telling us we need to make big changes. But we know that science alone is not enough to turn the tide of the climate crisis. We need to figure out how to tell better, more community centered stories around the impacts happening on the frontlines, in our own backyards…and we need elected leadership across the country to listen, learn, and act in the best interests of Canadians. In the first episode of this special 6-part miniseries, we hear about the science, data, and politics that brought Canada to this crucial moment - and while we unravel the complicated history of how we got here, we also begin to look forward to the solutions we need to protect the people and places in this land we call Canada. Oh, Canada: Solutions for the Climate Crisis is supported by Elbows Up for Climate, The C40 Centre, and the University of Toronto Press.  Featured guests: Ian Mauro, Executive Director of the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS) Amber Bennet, Executive Director of Re.Climate Steven Guilbeault, former Minister of the Environment Links: Canada Day Poll: Canadians are more proud even as anxiety about the future persists - Abacus Data Climate Atlas of Canada - Prairie Climate Center Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium UNEP: World set to cross 1.5°C global warming, but can still limit, a...

Similar podcasts

All episodes

Oh, Canada: Protecting our water, from deluge to drought

55 min

Canada might seem like an endless source for freshwater - but like everything else on Earth, this plentiful resource is ultimately finite. While much of Canada has yet to experience water-related issues, poorly managed and failing infrastructure combined with disruptions to sources like groundwater and glaciers mean more and more Canadians are confronting these impacts every year. David speaks with returning guest on the show, VP of Restoration and Regeneration at WWF Canada Elizabeth Hendricks, about how rapid warming in Canada since the 1970s has created changes in our ecology that need to be solved by nature-based solutions, stronger environmental protections, and better monitoring. He also sits down with the out-going mayor of Waterloo, ON, Dorothy McCabe, about how diminishing aquifer levels in the region has forced the city to reconsider the rate at which its developing, and who bears the true burden of worsening water stress. Last but certainly not least, David discusses how Indigenous knowledge can be better utilized in resource management with researcher Jana Wale, who’s work sits at the intersection of Indigenous leadership, climate science, and public policy to help create a better world for all Canadians.  Oh, Canada: Solutions for the Climate Crisis is supported by Elbows Up for Climate, The C40 Centre, and the University of Toronto Press.  Featured guests: Merlin Blackwell, former Mayor of Clearwater, BC Elizabeth Hendriks, Vice-President of Restoration and Regeneration at WWF Canada Dorothy McCabe, former Mayor of Waterloo, ON Janna Wale, Gitxsan (Gitanmaax First Nation) & Cree-Métis climate research leader, policy advisor, and speaker, Clean50 2026 award winner, and Indigenous Research and Partnerships Lead at PICS Links: Canada has 20 percent of the planet’s freshwater. But some worry there’s not enough to go around - Washington Post Climate impacts map - Elbows Up for Climate  State of Clean Water and Sanitation Systems in Canada - Canadian Infrast...

Oh, Canada: Impacts through Flames, Smoke, and Fire

1 hr 2 min

As catastrophic wildfires intensify across Canada - destroying homes, blanketing the country in smoke, forcing evacuations, and driving major economic losses - we ask in this episode what it will take to live with fire in a warming world.  David sits down with returning guest to the podcast, fire ecologist and professor Jen Baron, to hear how decades of suppression and the disruption of Indigenous cultural burning helped create today’s more severe, fast-moving fires. We also hear from Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland as he recounts the 2024 wildfire that destroyed 374 structures (including his own home!) despite strong preparation and makes the plea for disaster-ready, low-carbon housing and faster clean-energy transition to save other communities from the same destruction. David also speaks with Métis leader for the province of Alberta, Gabrielle Blatz, as she urges governments to include Indigenous knowledge and Métis women in emergency planning, and Clearwater Mayor Merlin Blackwell to hear how the residents of his own small town continue to fight for mitigation projects in the face of destructive pipeline expansions.  Oh, Canada: Solutions for the Climate Crisis is supported by Elbows Up for Climate, The C40 Centre, and the University of Toronto Press.  Featured guests: Dr Jen Baron,  Assistant Professor of Fire Ecology at the University of British Columbia Okanagan in the Center for Wildfire Coexistence Richard Ireland, Mayor of Jasper, AB Gabrielle Blatz, Otipemisiwak Métis Government's Provincial Secretary of Women, Gender Equity & Inclusion Merlin Blackwell, Mayor of Clearwater, BC Links: The Government of Canada provides an update regarding the 2026 wildfire season – August update - Public Safety Canada Centre for Wildfire Coexistence Indigenous Heritage in Kelowna - Tourism Kelowna   Attribution of the Influence of Human‐Induced Climate Change on an Extreme Fire Season - National Library of Medicine  America's Fires: A Historical Context for Policy and Practic...

Oh, Canada: How did we get here?

1 hr 3 min

Canada is having a moment: our reputation and soft power are growing. In the face of unexpected tariffs, a deepening housing crisis, and skyrocketing cost of living, Canadians are asking who we really are, what we want to stand for…and what lies ahead. There is great opportunity to be had, but also great risk in the road ahead. Canada needs energy independence and geopolitical protection - but Mark Carney’s federal government seems to be choosing a path of further baking in fossil fuels, rather than forging a progressive path that assures a safe future for all. Cities - and the people who call this country home - are asking for a different way forward.  The science is clear, and it’s telling us we need to make big changes. But we know that science alone is not enough to turn the tide of the climate crisis. We need to figure out how to tell better, more community centered stories around the impacts happening on the frontlines, in our own backyards…and we need elected leadership across the country to listen, learn, and act in the best interests of Canadians. In the first episode of this special 6-part miniseries, we hear about the science, data, and politics that brought Canada to this crucial moment - and while we unravel the complicated history of how we got here, we also begin to look forward to the solutions we need to protect the people and places in this land we call Canada. Oh, Canada: Solutions for the Climate Crisis is supported by Elbows Up for Climate, The C40 Centre, and the University of Toronto Press.  Featured guests: Ian Mauro, Executive Director of the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS) Amber Bennet, Executive Director of Re.Climate Steven Guilbeault, former Minister of the Environment Links: Canada Day Poll: Canadians are more proud even as anxiety about the future persists - Abacus Data Climate Atlas of Canada - Prairie Climate Center Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium UNEP: World set to cross 1.5°C global warming, but can still limit, a...

TRAILER: Oh, Canada: Solutions for the Climate Crisis

1 min

Climate change can feel frightening and uncertain - so much so, in fact, that sometimes hope can feel like an act of denial. But hope isn’t denial: it’s a recognition that we still have choices. In our new Cities 1.5 limited miniseries, Oh, Canada: Solutions for the Climate Crisis, we’re speaking to Canadians from coast, to coast, to coast, who are turning those choices into action. Featuring voices from politics, academia, activism, and municipal leadership - including Leader of Canada’s NDP Avi Lewis, Otipemisiwak Métis Government's Provincial Secretary of Women, Gender Equity & Inclusion Gabrielle Blatz, former Minister of the Environment Steven Guilbeault, Executive Director of Re.Climate Amber Bennett, Executive Director of the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS) Ian Mauro, Assistant Professor of Fire Ecology at University of British Columbia Okanagan in the Center for Wildfire Coexistence Dr. Jen Baron, writer and public policy researcher Seth Klein, and mayors from Yellowknife, Waterloo, Clearwater, Jasper, and more - we’ll be exploring the science, politics, and communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis across Canada. Oh, Canada: Solutions for the Climate Crisis is supported by Elbows Up for Climate, The C40 Centre, and the University of Toronto Press. This 6-part deep dive into the climate crisis through the lens of Canadians fighting to write a different story debuts on October 6, 2026, so make sure you tune in - you won’t want to miss it. 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 productio...

Be Hope: Cities 1.5 presents a special preview of Oh, Canada - Solutions for the Climate Crisis

16 min

What if there are reasons to hope for a more resilient climate future in your own backyard - right here in Canada? Well, that’s exactly the question we’re asking in our new miniseries, Oh, Canada: Solutions for the Climate Crisis.  At Cities 1.5, we’re proud to join forces with voices around the world for the 2026 #BeHope Podcast Takeover. We’re coming together to prove that even in challenging times, hope remains a real force for progress - and we can all be part of it. This special preview features guests from our upcoming series speaking on what keeps them going in the mission to end climate breakdown. Oh, Canada: Solutions for the Climate Crisis is supported by Elbows Up for Climate, The C40 Centre, and the University of Toronto Press. This 6-part deep dive into the climate crisis through the lens of Canadians fighting to write a different story debuts on October 6, 2026, so make sure you tune in - you won’t want to miss it. Featured guests: Avi Lewis, Leader of Canada’s NDP Amber Bennet, Executive Director of Re.Climate Steven Guilbeault, former Minister of the Environment Ian Mauro, Executive Director of the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS) Dr Jen Baron,  Assistant Professor of Fire Ecology at University of British Columbia Okanagan in the Center for Wildfire Coexistence Gabrielle Blatz, Otipemisiwak Métis Government's Provincial Secretary of Women, Gender Equity & Inclusion Richard Ireland, Mayor of Jasper, AB Ben Hendrickson, Mayor of Yellowknife, NWT Dorothy McCabe, Mayor of Waterloo, ON Merlin Blackwell, Mayor of Clearwater, BC Seth Klein,  Author of A Good War: Mobilizing Canada for the Climate Emergency and “Seth Klein / Emergency Measures” on Substack Links: How Pakistan’s people-led solar boom is easing impact of Middle East energy crisis - The Guardian Key energy data for Pakistan - Ember Electrons In, Hydrocarbons Out: Pakistan’s Quest for Economic and Resource Efficiency - Renewables First Australia’s renewables transition is well unde...

HOT TAKE: "A Captain never leaves his ship."

20 min

When the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, local leaders found themselves thrust onto the frontlines of both military defense and environmental catastrophe.  Coupled with untold amounts of human suffering, the war has inflicted deep environmental scars - from the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam to the corrosion of municipal water pipes - which many Ukrainian officials refer to as "ecocide." Yet, amidst daily bombardment, energy blackouts, and severed water supplies, city leaders and residents are demonstrating what true urban resilience looks like on the ground. In this special bonus episode, we hear from a mayor who refused to abandon his city when it was encircled in the early days of the war; a man who led the Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv through eight months of near-daily missile attacks. Despite ongoing attacks,the city is using decentralisation, solar-powered infrastructure, microgrids, and real-time data analysis to keep critical municipal services running during wartime. These strategies keeping cities resilient against military aggression also offer vital lessons for surviving climate impacts globally, as well as forming the bedrock of plans to rebuild in a way that benefits people and planet, when the violence finally stops.  Featured guest: Oleksandyr Senkevych, Mayor of Mykolaiv If listeners would like to further support Ukraine, the Cities 1.5 team encourages you to follow this link: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/57852?v2=true Media:  https://www.itv.com/news/2022-03-08/ukrainians-will-fight-until-last-person-is-left-and-ammunition-runs-out Links: For the Russians to cut off Ukraine's access to the sea, they must go through Mykolaiv. 'People are ready to fight until the last ammo,' said its mayor - Business Insider Report on the Human Rights Situation in Ukraine, 1 December 2024 – 31 May 2025 - Ukraine OHCHR A Preliminary Environmental Risk Assessment of the Kakhovka Dam Flooding - Pax for Peace Ukraine: Rebuilding Mykolai...

HOT TAKE: Urban Legends - Sorting City Climate Facts from Fiction

29 min

As the climate crisis accelerates, our information ecosystem has become a critical battleground. Coordinated climate disinformation - driven by fossil fuel interests - is increasingly targeting cities and urban leaders to stall transformative policy and manufacture public doubt. In this special Hot Takes episode recorded on the ground at London Climate Action Week, host David Miller examines how cities are actively defending information integrity and reclaiming the narrative. We look at why proactive storytelling and pre-bunking are far more powerful than traditional fact-checking, how mayors serve as vital trusted messengers in noisy digital spaces, and the stark reality of how disinformation threatens life and resilience on the frontlines of Ukraine. We will also be exploring how the C40 Centre itself incubated the recently launched City Climate Facts that aims to support cities in fighting disinformation, and cleaning up our urban information ecosystem. Featured guests: Adam Brzezinski, British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science Chiara Morfeo, Senior Manager for Research and Communications at the C40 Centre Oleksandr Senkevich, Mayor of Mykolaiv, Ukraine To follow more of C40 and the C40 Centre’s work combating climate disinformation, please check out the following links:  The C40 Centre’s climate communications insights - Substack Previous episodes of Cities 1.5 covering different aspects of climate disinformation  Overview of C40’s disinformation work. If you would like a copy of the C40 disinformation and extreme weather playbook - available in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese - please request one through the form at the bottom of this link.  Links: Big Oil's Real Agenda on Climate Change - InfluenceMap website Combatting Climate Disinformation: Comparing the Effectiveness of Correction Placement and Type - Environmental Communication Inoculation Theory as a Design Approach to Game-Based Misinformation I...

HOT TAKE: Can Cities Clean Up the Cloud?

23 min

As the AI boom drives an unprecedented rush for computing power, cities face a critical question: how do we support digital expansion, without derailing net-zero climate goals? Left unregulated, data centers can consume staggering amounts of energy and water, threaten to destabilise power grids, strain local resources, and alienate communities. But it doesn’t have to be like this: city leaders are stepping up to demand both climate-friendly solutions and accountability for big tech. In this Hot Take, we explore how local leaders are moving to prevent a digital “wild west” through international collaboration. We examine the launch of the Global Urban Data Centers Pact - a landmark commitment from 41 mayors across six continents, representing 90 million people - which aims to enforce clean energy mandates, water stewardship, and tangible community benefits for future data center development. Featured guests: Hannah Daly, Professor of Sustainable Energy at University College Cork Kate Gallego, Mayor of Phoenix, United States of America Nick Reece, Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Australia Links: The Cloud vs the Climate? Lessons from Ireland on the data centre debate - Cities 1.5 podcast Wyoming tightens wastewater rules after Meta datacenter contractor flushed contaminated water - The Guardian Mayors from around the world unite in call for sustainable urban data centres - C40 website Urban Data Centres - C40 website Data centers and the climate landscape: An actionable resource for US mayors - C40 Knowledge Hub Thirsty for power and water, AI-crunching data centers sprout across the West - Stanford University Stockholm, Sweden : Heat recovery from data centres - EU Covenant of Mayors Inside the C40 World Mayors Summit: The battle for cities, truth, and a fossil-free future at COP30 and beyond - Cities 1.5, featuring Lord Mayor Nick Reece on data centres Seizing the opportunity to do data centres right - Climate Council Australian government announces plan for new AI and data...

The Shipping Forecast: Climate Edition

36 min

The winds of change are blowing through the world’s maritime hubs…despite some national governments’ efforts to the contrary. While the shipping industry carries 90% of global trade, it also leaves a heavy carbon trail in its wake. In this episode of Cities 1.5, we explore the high-stakes transformation of our global ports: once seen as industrial hotspots of pollution, these urban harbours are emerging as the front lines of the green transition. We dive into the groundbreaking "Green Shipping Corridors" that are linking sustainable cities, and the bold shift toward zero-emission fuels. From local air quality to global supply chains, discover how cities are turning the tide on emissions and steering the industry toward a 1.5°C future. It’s time to rethink the horizon: clearer skies and smoother sailing ahead. Featured guests:  Eric Garcetti, C40 Ambassador for Global Climate Diplomacy and former Mayor of Los Angeles Alisa Kreynes, Director of Ports and Shipping at C40 Featured clips: The Shipping Forecast - BBC Radio 4 Global shipping emissions vote on a knife edge at IMO - BBC Business Today Links: Greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution from global shipping, 2016–2023 - The International Council on Clean Transportation A guide to the IMO’s Net-Zero Framework - Global Maritime Forum Landmark deal to cut global shipping emissions in tatters after US pressure - BBC News Ports and Shipping - C40 Knowledge Hub Green shipping corridors programme - C40 Cities website From Los Angeles to Shanghai, the port cities collaborating to cut shipping emissions - Reuters Green Ports Forum - C40 Cities website Why should we talk about a 'just and equitable' transition for shipping? - UN Trade and Development Rescuing shipping's Net Zero Framework - Climate Analytics Cities take the global stage to showcase climate action at the IMO for the first time - C40 Cities website If you want to learn more about the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy, please visit our website at h...

Creating ecosystems of climate truth: How can cities defend information integrity?

32 min

From fossil fuel lobbying to coordinated political disinformation campaigns, vested interests have built a profitable disinformation infrastructure designed to spread confusion, polarize debate, and exhaust the public. The good news is that the world is waking up. For the first time in the history of the COP, a Declaration on Information Integrity was agreed upon, with governments committing to address climate disinformation and promote accurate, evidence-based information globally. But we need to go further upstream - instead of simply fighting falsehoods, we need to build ecosystems where truth can take root and flourish. In this episode, we look to Brazil and speak to an individual who was integral in bringing information integrity both to COP and the international agenda. She makes the case for cities as one of the most powerful forces in reclaiming the narrative, building the infrastructure of truth from the ground up - one community at a time. Featured guest:  Thais Lazzeri, Investigative Journalist and Founder of FALA Links: Declaration on Information Integrity on Climate Change - UNESCO Integrity Information Observatory - Oii Mentiro Tem Preco (Lies Have a Price) Climate Information Integrity 5 Million Acts for Truth - FALA Tomorrow is today - YouTube (Portuguese) 500 Grams of Life - Thais Lazzeri (Portuguese)  ‘Democracy on the line’: Brazil’s election and the Bolsonaro disinformation ecosystem - Columbia Journalism Review Environmental and Climatic Disinformation in Northern Brazil: Dynamics and Impact in the Context of COP-30 - Heinrich Boll Stiftung Environmental journalism and the struggle against disinformation in Brazil - Frontiers in Communication 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...

The Cloud vs the Climate? Lessons from Ireland on the data centre debate

32 min

As our lives become increasingly digital, the infrastructure powering them is sparking a global debate: we need data centres, but at what cost to the climate and our access to energy? These massive facilities are the backbone of everything from streaming to AI, yet they consume staggering amounts of electricity and water, often straining local grids and and in some cases, threatening to derail decarbonisation efforts. In this episode of Cities 1.5, we explore how Ireland became the "canary in the coalmine" for this issue. With data centres projected to consume nearly 30% of the nation’s electricity by 2030, the Irish experience serves as a critical warning – and a roadmap – for cities worldwide. We examine the tension between economic ambition and climate mandates, questioning how urban leaders can manage the rapid expansion of digital infrastructure without derailing net-zero goals. Join us as we dive into the lessons learned from the frontlines of the data centre boom and what they mean for the future of sustainable cities. Featured guest:  Professor Hannah Daly, Professor of Sustainable Energy at University College Cork Links: Ireland’s data centre boom is driving up fossil fuel dependence - The Irish Times, by Professor Hannah Daly Data Centres Metered Electricity Consumption 2024 - Central Statistics Office Energy for who? Data centres and the grid - Friends of the Earth Ireland How Big Tech wrote secrecy into EU law to hide environmental toll - The Journal Investigates What Ireland’s Data Center Crisis Means for the EU’s AI Sovereignty Plans -  AlgorithmWatch Ireland’s data centre policy reset: The end of the blanket moratorium -  KPMG Ireland Google’s Dublin data centre blocked amid energy usage concerns - Tech Monitor Data Centres Ireland – Energy, Growth and the Grid Debate - Enable Research 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 fi...

HOT TAKE: One day, millions of journeys: Celebrating World Public Transport Day!

19 min

 Ready for a ride? In this episode, we’re celebrating the inaugural World Public Transport Day, created by the International Association of Public Transport (UITP), along with its global partners, and we explore why public transport is the beating heart of our cities. From the "rolling focus groups" on Melbourne’s iconic trams to the colorful jeepneys of the Philippines, we share personal stories of connection from urban centres across the globe. But it’s not just about the journey: we dive into the hard policy making it happen. Discover how Mexico City’s Metro uses unique icons to bridge literacy gaps, how Salvador is empowering women through "Women behind the Wheel," and how Amman’s new electric fleet is clearing the air. Hop on for a celebration of the journeys that move us all! Special thanks to Mariana Batista, C40 Senior Manager for Public Transport, for her assistance in providing both translation and production support for this episode. Featured guests:  Nobuntu Ciko Duze, Deputy Director of Transport Systems Management, Johannesburg Nick Reece, Lord Mayor of Melbourne Jim Duran Mayerstein, Senior Manager, Zero-Emission Bus Rapid Deployment Accelerator (ZEBRA) at C40 Sonto Ziqubu, C40 Executive Office Coordinator Adriana de Jesus Ferreira, Bus Driver and Mulheres no Volante beneficiary Yousef Al Shawarbeh, Mayor of Amman Mark Watts, Executive Director of C40 Cities Links:  The Transit City that could’ve been - The Ethnic Aisle Zero emission transport - C40 Cities Transport Sector Analysis - International Energy Agency Completing the Trip - World Resources Institute I got inked by the world’s oldest tattoo artist - CNN Style Mexico City’s Metro Icons - Mexican Routes Infographic: Joburg by taxi - Brand South Africa Women Behind the Wheel project - Salvador City Hall 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 St...

The Hidden Infrastructure of Urban Resilience

31 min

Cities aren’t just structures. They’re people. In the rapidly urbanising cities of the global majority, many of those people are migrant workers.  They often work informally, with limited protection when shocks hit. At the same time, they are vital to propping up and rebuilding cities after climate disasters. In this week’s Cities 1.5 podcast episode, host David Miller speaks to Ritwika Basu, an environmental social scientist and urbanist who researches this invisible labour in small and medium-sized cities in India. Featured guests: Ritwika Basu, Environmental Social Scientist and Urbanist, and one of the guest editors of the Journal City Climate Policy and Economy’s soon to be released Special Issue on Adaptation and Resilience in Cities of the Majority World: Advancing Equity and Justice in Practice, and Author of “Hidden Infrastructure of Urban Resilience: Labor, Precarity, and Economic Adaptation in India” which will be released to open access on April 15, 2026. Links: Resilient Cities (and how to build them) - Cities 1.5 Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy Resources on Urban Climate Resilience - C40 Knowledge Hub Good Green Jobs and Labour Migration: Opportunities for Urban Leaders - C40 Knowledge Hub 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. Narrative and communications support by Chiara Morfeo. Our Associate Producer is Rachel Schneider. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfed...

A Tale of Two Cities: A New Chapter

32 min

In this episode of Cities 1.5, we bring you another "Tale of Two Cities" - but this time, David sits down with two pioneering mayors from opposite ends of the globe. Despite their vastly different histories, both Athens are Melbourne are inspiring and leading the way through the climate crisis, and mitigating its impacts.We explore Athens is embracing progressive economics and tackling energy poverty, and how Melbourne is transforming and greening urban spaces and trailblazing renewable energy schemes and much more.These urban leaders are protecting city residents from climate impacts, engaging the next generation, and proving that local innovation and leadership is the best way to navigate the climate crisis.  Featured guests: Haris Doukas, Mayor of Athens Nick Reece, Lord Mayor of Melbourne Links: Inside the World Mayors Summit: Cities throw down the gauntlet - Cities 1.5 Inside the World Mayors Summit: The battle for cities, truth and a fossil fuel free future at COP30 and beyond - Cities 1.5 Athens mayor focuses on getting capital through extreme heat - The Guardian A blueprint for European cities? Athens announces new initiative to tackle energy poverty - Net Zero Cities Doughnut Economics Action Lab 4th Youth Assembly on Climate Change with the participation of University Students - Eliamep Nick Reece reveals plan to make Melbourne the “Garden City” - Southbank Local News Melbourne Renewable Energy Project  Disinformation and the City - Melbourne Centre for Cities What should Melbourne be like in 2050? - Docklands News M2050 Summit Report 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...

Lead like a girl - In conversation with Catherine McKenna

26 min

What links the Paris Agreement, Barbie and Arnold Schwarzenegger? The answer is this week’s guest on Cities 1.5! As a key architect of the Paris Agreement, Catherine McKenna - Canada’s former Minister for Climate Change and the Environment - reflects on why cities are now the true engines of delivery. There’s also a powerful exploration of Catherine’s new memoir, Run Like a Girl, and a firsthand account of why we cannot solve the climate crisis while leaving half the world’s population out of the corridors of power. It’s time to lead like a girl. Featured guest: Hon. Catherine McKenna, Chair of the UN Secretary General’s High-Level Expert Group on Net-Zero Commitments of Non-State Entities and host of Women Leading on Climate podcast Audio clips: Environment minister tells Rebel Media reporter to stop calling her 'Climate Barbie' - CBC News Links: What justice for women in Afghanistan? - Swiss Info Inside the C40 World Mayors Summit - Cities 1.5 It’s Grand Ol’ Bargain, Alright - Hot Takes Canada’s former climate minister on making a change, ‘aloof’ Trudeau and sexism - The Guardian Integrity Matters: Net-Zero Emissions Commitments of Non-State Entities - United Nations website Paris climate deal - The Guardian Breaking the Tragedy of the Horizon - Mark Carney speech Meet the young climate activists behind Mathur et. al. v. His Majesty - Ecojustice Why would anyone hate Catherine McKenna? - Maclean’s 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. Narrative and communications support by Chiara Mor...

Whose Streets? Our Streets: Curbing Fossil Fuel Industry Disinformation

27 min

In a world where climate emergencies are being declared daily, why do so many of our city streets and public transport networks have misleading ads for the very industries driving the crisis? Our conversation with two C40 experts reveals how the fossil fuel industry mirrors old tobacco industry tactics using sophisticated techniques to "greenwash" their image and frame essential health protections as attacks on free speech. Tune in to learn how cities reclaiming the narratives in our transit systems and urban squares is a vital step toward fending off industry attacks and securing a safer, more sustainable future for all. Featured guests: Mariana Batista, C40 Senior Manager, Public Transport Charlie Worthington, C40 Project Officer, High Carbon Advertising Bans Links: The War Against Tobacco: 50 Years and Counting - National Library of Medicine How the Fossil Fuel Industry Polluted the Information Landscape - Center for Climate Change Communication Air pollution from fossil fuels kills 5 million people a year - The Guardian In The Hague, ban on Big Oil ads survives legal challenge - Courthouse News Profitable Growth Without Fossil Fuels - Clean Creatives Frequently Asked Questions - A World Without Fossil Fuel Ads Declaration on Information Integrity on Climate Change - UNESCO Cities Climate Transition Framework - C40 Knowledge Hub Clearing the way: A toolkit for positive, fossil-free city advertising - C40 Knowledge Hub How cities can restrict carbon-intensive advertising - C40 Knowledge Hub 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...

HOT TAKE: The Kids are alright - Youth take the Mic in Rio

18 min

Hot Take: the climate crisis isn’t some abstract data point or a dry policy debate, it’s a deeply human story of survival. Right now, a whole generation is growing up inside the emergency, doing the heavy lifting to fix a mess they didn't create. We’re bringing you the raw, human heartbeat of the movement and amplifying the voices that stole the show at the World Mayor’s Summit in Rio. The C40 Youth Hub members dive into what real intergenerational collaboration looks like when those with the biggest stake in the future are finally the ones leading the change. Youth Moment featured leaders: Juliet Oluoch, Research fellow, Ufanisi Research Network Anjali Raman-Middleton, Co-founder and Director, Choked Up Esther Kamara, Founder of Youth Initiative For Climate Action Sierra Leone Foday Kamara, National Coordinator, Youth Climate Council Global Alliance Letícia Mathias, Co-founder and Executive Director, Instituto SustentAção Micheala Chan, Young Water Utilities Expert for the Pacific, Asian Development Bank Featured interview guest: Earl Aldrin Burgos. C40 Youth Engagement and Campaigns Manager Links: World Mayors Summit special - Cities 1.5 US cities as climate first responders - Cities 1.5 C40 Youth Moment - YouTube  Youth Hub - C40 Youth Engagement Playbook for Cities - C40 Loss and Damage: Challenges and Opportunities for City Leadership 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. Narrative and communications support by Chiara Morfeo. Our Associate Producer is Rachel Schneider. Produced by...

Tales from the Belly of the Beast: An ExxonMobil Whistleblower’s Story

31 min

What would you risk to tell the truth, if the institution you served was one of the most powerful corporations on Earth? Early scientific warnings about global heating have long stood in tension with corporate narratives shaping public understanding. This episode examines the enduring disinformation created and disseminated by the fossil fuel industry: how it evolves, why it persists, and what it means for the pace of climate action. Through the perspective of a former insider at ExxonMobil, we explore the widening gap between the disinformation narratives pumped out by fossil fuel companies and the personal consequences of challenging one of the most powerful corporations in modern history. Featured guest: Lindsey Gulden, Principal Data Scientist at Leg Up Data and former employee at ExxonMobil Audio sources:  Oil giant ExxonMobil predicted climate change in 1970s - BBC News Exxon CEO and Chairman of the American Petroleum Institute Lee Raymond speech (1996) - CPAN WSJ: SEC probes Exxon after whistleblower complaint - CNBC Links: New study in 'Science' puts a number on what Exxon knew decades ago about climate change - Potsdam Institute How a Newton woman became an enemy of ExxonMobil - The Boston Globe Tracing Big Oil’s PR war to delay action on climate change - The Harvard Gazette Carbon Capture and Storage: The Billion Dollar Scam - Environmental Defence Trump says he might keep Exxon out of Venezuela - Reuters Countering Climate Disinformation - C40 Cities Disinformation episodes - Cities 1.5 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/ Wri...

Mayoral Deep Dive: US cities as climate first responders

30 min

Across the United States, cities are acting as climate first responders - carrying climate action forward even as national politics grow more hostile. From clean energy and buildings to transport, land use and resilience to extreme weather events, mayors are proving that climate leadership does not depend on federal permission. It grows from proximity: to people, to impacts, and to the places leaders are entrusted to protect. Cities are stepping in to safeguard neighbourhoods, rivers, urban ecosystems and public health, often while the federal government undermines climate policy or attacks local authority. Featured guests: Keith Wilson, Mayor of Portland, Oregon, USA Kirk Watson, Mayor of Austin, Texas, USA Juliet Oluoch, Research fellow at Ustawi Analytica and youth climate activist from Nairobi, Kenya Links: Solved: How the World’s Great Cities Are Fixing the Climate Crisis by David Miller The Fate of the Inflation Reduction Act in the Second Era of Trump - Cities 1.5 Trump signs order to withdraw US from Paris climate agreement for second time - The Guardian ‘Poet, writer, wife, mom’: who was Renee Nicole Good, the woman killed by an ICE agent? - The Guardian Mayor Keith Wilson Announces Portland Has Reached more than 1,500 Emergency Overnight Beds, Delivered at Unprecedented Speed - Portland.gov Costumed protesters in Portland defy description of the city as a 'war zone' - NBC News Austin Climate Equity Plan $3,000 grants offered to groups addressing climate change and food access challenges - Austin Monitor More links for this episode available at jccpe.utpjournals.press and c40.org. 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...

Economics and the City

31 min

In times of profound geopolitical turbulence - wars, trade shocks, energy insecurity, and climate breakdown - something unexpected is happening: while autocratic leaders double down on fossil fuels and climate denial, cities are stepping into the breach to create a different story. One of hope, resilience, and innovation. Like wildflowers pushing through concrete, cities around the world are experimenting with new economic models that challenge the old orthodoxy of endless growth. They're turning away from Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as the sole measure of success and asking different questions: Are people housed? Are they thriving? Are we staying within planetary limits? Featured guests: Kate Raworth, Co-founder of the Doughnut Economics Action Lab (DEAL) Leonora Grcheva, Cities and Regions Lead at DEAL Giuseppe Sala, Mayor of Milan, Italy Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, Executive Mayor of Tshwane, South Africa Carola Schouten, Mayor of Rotterdam, Netherlands Links: Doughnut Economics in Local Governments: An Overview of Emerging Practice by Leonora Grcheva and Michele Vianello Special Issue on Sustainable Prosperity in the 21st-Century City - the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy Trump fossil-fuel push setting back green progress decades, critics warn - The Guardian Resources for a better future: GDP - Resilience.org Milan's Food Waste Hubs Network Compilation of the Integrated Waste Management Plan for the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality CCU Challenge: Unlock the City’s Ambition of Becoming Fully Circular by 2050 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: ht...

TRAILER: Cities Won't Wait

2 min

As geopolitical power shifts, cities are rising to lead this urban century while nations cling to outdated systems. Season 6 of Cities 1.5 explores how mayors and urban leaders from around the world are turning uncertainty into opportunity, building regenerative futures with hope-filled narratives that counter disinformation and inspire action. Join us from January 13, 2026, as we explore the urban transformation the world cannot wait for, ranging from tackling disinformation, decarbonising infrastructure, and confronting the growing alliance between political authoritarianism and the fossil fuel industry. Through intimate conversations with global mayors and urban innovators, we reveal how cities are not just adapting to change…but are actively shaping our future. Because the future isn't waiting, and neither are cities. Links: Zohran Mamdani’s full victory speech, 4 November 2025 - Zohran Mamdani for NYC YouTube channel 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. Narrative and communications support by Chiara Morfeo. Our Associate Producer is Rachel Schneider. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/

TEASER: Season 6 of Cities 1.5 is coming soon!

1 min

 In the face of the accelerating climate crisis, rising authoritarianism, and geopolitical shifts, national governments are faltering…but cities are stepping into the void and taking the lead.  Season 6 of Cities 1.5 will delve into how municipal-level actions and powerful coalitions are creating a carbon-free future, promoting resilience, and enabling a new economic system based on wellbeing over profit. We’ll explore how cities are countering disinformation, fear, and inertia by spearheading significant local climate initiatives and forming new alliances, daring national governments to follow in their footsteps. Because the future won’t wait - so we need to decide now who will lead, and whether we want to move towards disaster … or resilience. 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. Narrative and communications support by Chiara Morfeo. Our Associate Producer is Rachel Schneider. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/

HOT TAKE: It’s Grand Ol’ Bargain, Alright (for Canada’s fossil-fuel companies)

9 min

Welcome to Cities 1.5 Hot Takes: Dispatches from the Frontlines of the Climate Crisis. Hot Takes brings you fast, focused coverage on breaking news and underserved stories at the intersection of climate, economics and public health - all through an urban lens.  This first-ever edition of Hot Takes is about a major move in Canada’s energy future…and what it means for climate, cities, and the promises made to hold fossil fuel giants accountable. As Canadian cities race toward net zero, their efforts are being fundamentally threatened by a high stakes federal agreement known as "The Grand Bargain": a political compromise on behalf of the Mark Carney government to build a new pipeline that would transport diluted bitumen from the Alberta oil sands westward across the rocky mountains to the British Columbia coast. Touted as a bridge to a clean energy future, we go behind the spin to explore the  real facts behind this project - and lay bare the reasons many are opposed to this doubling down on promises made by the fossil fuel industry…promises that historically haven’t been worth the paper they’re written on. Featured guests: Hon. Catherine McKenna, Chair of the UN Secretary General’s High-Level Expert Group on Net-Zero Commitments of Non-State Entities, and former Canadian Minister of Environment and Climate Change Links: World Mayors Summit two-part special - Cities 1.5 podcast 83 Countries Join Call to End Fossil Fuels at COP30 - Earth.org  Why Mark Carney’s pipeline deal with Alberta puts the Canadian federation in jeopardy - The Conversation A Not-so-Grand Bargain - Pembina Institute Canada may approve a new oil pipeline. First Nations fear another ‘worst-case scenario’ - The Guardian Watch David’s full CPAC interview Canada OKs ‘Massive’ $20 Billion Loan for Trans-Mountain Pipeline - DeSmog 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 m...

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

59 min

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 83 Countries Join Call to End Fossil Fuels at COP30 If you want to learn more about the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy, please visit o...

Inside the C40 World Mayors Summit: Cities throw down the gauntlet

50 min

In this first instalment of our two-part special from the C40 World Mayors Summit, Cities 1.5 takes you inside the flagship gathering of the world’s most ambitious urban climate leaders. We hear directly from mayors as they unveil this year’s Offer of Action – a unified commitment that raises the stakes for urban climate leadership and pointedly challenges national governments to match their ambition with action of  their own, all on the eve of COP30. We also speak with leading climate experts and C40 partners to explore why cities remain the most effective engines for rapid, equitable decarbonization, and what they must do next to keep the goal of limiting global heating to 1.5°C alive. And crucially, funders share why they’ve chosen to invest in C40’s global network, highlighting the proven impact of coordinated city action and the urgency of scaling it. Photo credit: ©Bernardo Jardim Photography Featured: Sir Sadiq Khan, C40 Co-Chair and Mayor of London Nick Reece, Lord Mayor of Melbourne Giuseppe “Beppe” Sala, Mayor of Milan Yousef Al-Shawarbeh, Mayor of Amman Keith Wilson, Mayor of Portland Dr. Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, Executive Mayor of Ekurhuleni Eduardo Pimentel, Mayor of Curitiba Caterina Sarfatti, Managing Director of Inclusion and Global Leadership at C40 Haris Doukas, Mayor of Athens Eirik Lae Solberg, Governing Mayor of Oslo Søren Staugaard Nielsen, Managing Director of the Ramboll Foundation Jo Jewell, Director of Social Responsibility Partnerships at Novo Nordisk Hon. Catherine McKenna, Chair of the UN Secretary General’s High-Level Expert Group on Net-Zero Commitments of Non-State Entities Christiana Figueres, Founding Partner of Global Optimism and Co-presenter of Outrage + Optimism Links: C40 World Mayors Summit: Cities Delivering Global Leadership for Climate Action - Bloomberg Philanthropies, YouTube C40 World Mayors Summit From negotiation to delivery:The Yearly Offer of Action Ramboll Foundation Novo Nordisk Cities for Better Health Green and Thr...

TRAILER: Join us at the C40 World Mayors Summit

1 min

Cities 1.5 is back with a special two-part series focused on the C40 World Mayor's Summit in Rio de Janeiro, convening just ahead of the upcoming COP30 in Brazil. City mayors are continuing to play a critical role in combating climate change as they implement substantial climate policies and actions amidst the inaction of national governments. Tune in to hear behind-the-scenes discussions with funders, policymakers, and mayors who are committed to cutting emissions, creating green jobs, and safeguarding their communities…all in the face of the accelerating urgency of the climate crisis. Featured: Sir Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, England and co-chair of C40 Cities Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, OBE, Mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone and co-chair of C40 Cities 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. Narrative and communications support by Chiara Morfeo. Our Associate Producer is Rachel Schneider. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/

Going Steady with Herman Daly: 'The seeds Herman planted'

1 hr 11 min

We’re joining podcasts around the world in tandem with the 80th United Nations General Assembly, to ask a vital question: where do we find hope in challenging times? We explore how cities are implementing Herman Daly’s revolutionary economic theories. Featured in this episode: Karen Daly Junker, Herman and Marcia’s youngest daughter Terri Daly Stewart, Herman and Marcia’s eldest daughter Denis Daly Heyck, Herman’s sister David Batker, Ecological economist Katherine Trebeck, Political economist Leonora Grcheva, Cities & Regions Lead at DEAL Kate Raworth, Co-founder of DEAL Katy Shields, Regenerative Economist Cindy Acab, Waste to Resources Network Senior Manager at C40 Cllr. Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council Takehiko Nagumo, Director of Smart Cities Institute Japan Joshua Farley, Ecological Economist Gaya Herrington, Ecological economist Angelos Varvarousis, Research Fellow at UAB Tim Jackson, Ecological economist Clóvis Cavalcanti, Ecological economist John Redwood, Former employee of the World Bank Jon Sward, Environment Project Manager at the Bretton Woods Project Peter May, Ecological economist Brian Czech, Executive Director of CASSE Thank you to the Daly family for their generous support in sharing Herman’s story. Thank you also to our series consultants and fact checkers, Peter Harnik, Rob Dietz, and Peter Victor, who also graciously supplied the interview tape with Herman Daly, recorded in 2022. 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. Narrative and communications support...

Going Steady with Herman Daly: ‘¡No pasarán’/ É Proibido Proibir’

1 hr 3 min

We follow Herman Daly into one of the last places you’d expect to find a rebel economist: the World Bank. We will hear how the academic work of Herman’s sister, Denis Daly Heyck, impacted on his worldview. We’ll also see how this fused with Herman’s own experiences teaching in Brazil, and the building of pan-American ecological and human rights movements to fuel him to advocate for policy and philosophical changes at the Bank - culminating in his famous farewell speech.  Featured in this episode: Karen Daly Junker & Terri Daly Stewart, Herman and Marcia’s daughters Jon Sward, Environment Project Manager at the Bretton Woods Project Denis Daly Heyck (Deni), Professor Emeritus of Spanish language & literature David Batker, Ecological economist John Redwood, Former World Bank employee Robert Costanza, Ecological economist Clóvis Cavalcanti, Ecological economist Peter May, Ecological economist Kate Raworth, DEAL co-founder Joshua Farley, Ecological economist Xiye Bastida, Climate justice activist Thank you to the Daly family for their generous support in sharing Herman’s story.  Thanks also to: C40's Barbara Barros for voicing Marcia Daly’s email in this episode; Denis Daly Heyck for providing the images for our episode art; and to Nate Hagens and the team behind The Great Simplification podcast for granting us permission to use a clip from their show. Thank you also to our series consultants and fact checkers, Peter Harnik, Rob Dietz, and Peter Victor, who also graciously supplied the interview tape with Herman Daly, recorded in 2022. Media citations by order of appearance: (That'll Work) (Live), Chuck Brown The Heritage Foundation - “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” The Great Simplification: “Toward an Ecological Economics” 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 Econom...

Going Steady with Herman Daly: ‘For the common good’

1 hr 0 min

We rejoin Herman Daly in the  late 1970s - a tumultuous time for our renegade economist.  Partnering with theologian John Cobb Jr., Daly began to rebuild economics from the ground up, reframing it around values, community, and the planet that sustains us. Woven through this intellectual journey are stories of faith, family, and friendship that helped Daly persevere. We hear how he sparked a global community of scholars and inspired whole new movements, ranging from wellbeing and regenerative economics to the circular economy and doughnut economics. Featured in this episode: Gaya Herrington, Wellbeing economist & thought leader Jennie King, Senior Fellow at ISD Peter Victor, Ecological economist & author of Herman Daly’s Economics for a Full World Sandrine Dixson-Declève, Global Ambassador for The Club of Rome Robert Costanza, Ecological economist Terri Daly Stewart, Senior Occupational Therapist, and Herman and Marcia’s eldest daughter Karen Daly Junker, Senior Manager of Provenance Research at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and Herman and Marcia’s youngest daughter Brian Czech, Executive Director of CASSE Rob Dietz, Program Director at the Post-Carbon Institute and co-host of Crazy Town Colvis Cavalcanti, Ecological economist Katy Shields, Regenerative economist, and co-creator/host of Tipping Point Katherine Trebeck, Political economist Thank you to the Daly family for their generous support in sharing Herman’s story, and to Barbara Barros, C40 Global Head of Adaptation Finance, for voicing Marcia Daly’s email in this episode. Thank you also to our series consultants and fact checkers, Peter Harnik, Rob Dietz, and Peter Victor, who also graciously supplied the interview tape with Herman Daly, recorded in 2022. Visit the Cities 1.5 podcast page on UTP’s website for the media citations used in this episode. 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 Cit...

Going Steady with Herman Daly: ‘The canary has fallen silent’

59 min

We follow Herman from the lecture halls of Louisiana to the forests of Brazil – and through a period of global upheaval and personal transformation. Herman was profoundly shaped by the realities of inequality and ecological fragility in the Global South. These experiences helped crystallize his vision of a steady-state economy; one that operates within the planet’s ecological limits and prioritizes human wellbeing and ecological boundaries over endless growth. With reflections from his family and followers, this episode captures the moment Daly’s thinking moved from quiet resistance to creating economic theories that would go on to have a truly global influence.  Featured in this episode: Colvis Cavalcanti, ecological economist Brian Czech, Author of Shoveling Fuel for a Runaway Train and executive director of the Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy Rob Dietz, Program Director at the Post-Carbon Institute, co-author of Enough is Enough, and co-host of Crazy Town Terri Daly Stewart, Senior Occupational Therapist and Herman and Marcia's eldest daughter Karen Daly Junker, Senior Manager of Provenance Research at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and Herman and Marcia’s youngest daughter Denis Lynn Daly Heyck (Deni), Professor Emeritus of Spanish language and literature and Herman's sister Katy Shields, Regenerative economist and co-creator/host of Tipping Point Peter Victor, Professor Emeritus of ecological economics & author of Herman Daly’s Economics for a Full World Kate Raworth, Author of Doughnut Economics and co-founder of the Doughnut Economics Action Lab Thank you to the Daly family for their generous support in sharing Herman’s story. Thank you also to our series consultants and fact checkers, Peter Harnik, Rob Dietz, and Peter Victor, who also graciously supplied the interview tape with Herman Daly, recorded in 2022. Visit the Cities 1.5 podcast page on UTP’s website for the media citations used in this episode. If you want to learn more abo...

Going Steady with Herman Daly: ‘There are limits to everything’

56 min

Herman Daly was a founding father of ecological economics: more than half a century ago, he warned that the pursuit of endless economic growth was driving ecological collapse and harming society, as well as harming society - and came up with a plan to unbreak our economy.  Dismissed by mainstream economists, pushed out of the World Bank, and even targeted by menacing, anonymous threats, Daly paid a high price for challenging our unsustainable global system. But now, as climate breakdown accelerates and the failures of neoliberalism become increasingly apparent, his ideas are more relevant - and more vital - than ever. Now is the time for his theories and his legacy to get the attention they deserve.  In the opening episode, we hear from the person who knew his story best: himself. Featuring never-heard-before interviews with Herman, alongside reflections from a whole host of experts, scholars and collaborators. We trace his childhood battle with polio, his whirlwind romance with his wife, Marcia and the moment Herman discovered the first piece of the puzzle in solving the intertwined economic, societal and climate crises: the concept of uneconomic growth. Featured in this episode: Peter Victor, Professor emeritus of ecological economics and author of Herman Daly’s Economics for a Full World Gaya Herrington, Wellbeing economist & thought leader Joshua Farley, Professor of ecological economics Katherine Trebeck, Political Economist & writer Denis (Deni) Lynn Daly Heyck, Professor Emeritus of Spanish Language and Literature and Herman’s sister Terri Daly Stewart, Senior Occupational Therapist, and Herman and Marcia’s elder daughter Karen Daly Junker, Senior Manager of Provenance Research at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and Herman and Marcia’s younger daughter Thank you to the Daly family for their generous support in sharing Herman’s story, and to Barbara Barros for voicing Marcia Daly’s email in this episode. Thank you also to our series consultants, Peter Harnik...

TRAILER: Going Steady with Herman Daly: How to Unbreak the Economy (and the Planet)

2 min

Is it time to retire the concept of growth as the sole measure of prosperity? This summer, join host David Miller for a special miniseries dedicated to Herman Daly, an economist who transformed how we think about growth. Featuring never heard before interviews with Daly himself alongside experts, scholars, and Herman’s nearest and dearest, this is a story you won’t want to miss! The first episode of Going Steady with Herman Daly debuts on August 19th, 2025. We can’t wait for you to hear it! 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. Narrative and communications support by Chiara Morfeo. Our Associate Producer is Rachel Schneider. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/

TEASER - Going Steady: Happy Birthday, Herman Daly

1 min

Herman Daly would have turned 87 years old on July 21st, 2025. While he is no longer with us, his ideas have lived on - shaping an economic future that we haven’t yet achieved, but is steadily becoming the most probable way forward in the face of rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and ecological and economic decimation. But who exactly was Herman Daly? Why was his work scorned by the World Bank? And how can his plan for world economics save the planet? Featuring economists Gaya Herrington, Tim Jackson, Kate Raworth, along with other experts, scholars, and Herman's nearest and dearest, join host David Miller for a special limited series exploring the life of Herman Daly, the economist who transformed the thinking of some of the leading economic and climate thinkers of our times. Going Steady premieres this August - check back on this feed for updates! 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. Narrative and communications support by Chiara Morfeo. Our Associate Producer is Rachel Schneider. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/

Knowledge is Power

59 min

For hundreds of years, people have been pondering the power of information. In this past season of Cities 1.5, we’ve seen examples of cities from around the world who are using data and the lived experiences of their inhabitants to create policies that support healthier lives for people and planet: from Freetown, Sierra Leone, to Tokyo, Japan, to Princeton, Canada. But while history - and our own conversations on this podcast - prove that knowledge is powerful…it isn’t always easy to come by. For the final episode of Cities 1.5 season 5, David meets two knowledge and dissemination specialists who speak with him about the importance of data and information for climate action and what other ingredients are key to effective communications about global heating.  Featured guests: Katie Walsh, Head of Climate Finance for Cities, States, and Regions at CDP Andrea Learned, climate influence catalyst and strategist Links: Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes Cities are responsible for over 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions - World Bank Global Covenant of Mayors Earth Positive Action - CDP Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance Forum Global Snapshot Report 2024 - CDP Paris Climate Agreement CHAMP - C40 Andrea Learned’s Green Biz article on the five Ls of Twitter leadership Living Change podcast Bike Talk podcast Bowinn MA, Canadian politician elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in 2017 Album: Joy as an act of resistance Sustainable Development Goal 11 - United Nations 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 pr...

Brick by Brick: Cities and the future of clean construction

57 min

The building and construction sector is responsible for a mind-boggling 37% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The kinds of construction materials we use - and the building sector generally - are also responsible for almost a third of global resource consumption. Shifting to cleaner methods of construction is the only way to minimize the damage we are causing to the planet, while still providing homes, workplaces and vital infrastructure for all. Featured guests: Henrique Goes, Clean Construction Manager at C40 Vivek Parekh, Fossil Fuels Program Manager at InfluenceMap Links: The building and construction sector’s share in global greenhouse gas emissions - World Economic Forum UN prediction for rural to urban migration - Our World in Data Premature deaths from household air pollution - World Health Organization Clean Construction Programme - C40 Cities Report on clean construction and green job opportunities - C40 Cities Influence Map’s LobbyMap International Gas Union’s Climate Strategy - Influence Map Electrification as the clearest pathway for decarbonising buildings - IPCC report State of Victoria’s Gas Substitution Roadmap - Victoria State Government EU’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive - European Commission Overturned gas ban in the City of Berkley - The Guardian Advanced Energy United 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. Narrative and communications support by Chiara Morfeo. Our Associate Producer is Rachel Schneider. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasti...

Why we need to adopt a Care Economy

46 min

Capitalism is an illness: it’s killing our planet, and by extension, us. Economic instability and environmental concerns are symptoms that can only be cured by redefining prosperity in terms of health and wellbeing, so that we can create sustainable, equitable societies. In his new book, The Care Economy, returning guest Tim Jackson dives into historical and systemic reasons behind our current economic challenges and shares personal experiences that highlight the importance of systemic change in healthcare and beyond. He shares insights from his book around the philosophical and practical implications of fostering a balanced, care-oriented economic model - and how it might just save the world. Image credit: Fernando Manoso-Borgas  Featured guests: Tim Jackson, ecological economist, radio dramatist, Director of the Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity (CUSP), and author. Links:  Prosperity without Growth - Tim Jackson Physiologist Walter Cannon - National Library of Medicine Aneurin Bevin, architect of the NHS - BBC Current epidemic of chronic disease - CDC Ecological Economics - The International Society for Ecological Economics The Flexner Report - National Library of Medicine Cities as Urban Laboratories - Cities 1.5 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. Narrative and communications support by Chiara Morfeo. Our Associate Producer is Rachel Schneider. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com...

Resilient cities (and how to build them)

57 min

Cities around the world are on the frontlines of climate disaster. In Lisbon, Portugal, unprecedented flooding has required the construction of significant climate resilience projects like the city's drainage master plan. In the global south, cities like Ahmedabad, India are getting hotter and hotter…and the women who live in this region are disproportionately impacted physically and financially by heat wave events. But as we can see through the shining examples of both these urban centres, by combining mitigation and adaptation actions - like innovative parametric heat insurance projects, and equitable public transportation initiatives - with community informed policies, we can build resilient cities that will be able to withstand the increasing impacts of climate change. Featured guests: Carlos Moedas, Mayor of Lisbon Kathy Baughman McLeod , CEO, Climate Resilience for All  Links:  10 of the Oldest Continuously Inhabited Cities in the World - How Stuff Works Horizon Europe - European Commission European Research Council The US brain drain has begun - Politico Lisbon approved free public transport for young and elderly residents - Mayors of Europe Lisbon Mayor Wants Companies to Help Fix City’s Housing Shortage - Bloomberg Lisbon Drainage Master Plan Lisbon aims to be carbon neutral by 2030 with EU support - LPP Climate Resilience for All Heat and gender: Enhancing her resilience to rising temperatures - World Bank World-First Financial Product Combining Insurance and Cash Payments for Extreme Heat is a Lifeline for 50,000 Informal Women Workers in India - Climate Resilience for All 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 supp...

Out of the frying planet and into the fire: Stories from the frontlines of climate-driven migration

58 min

As global temperatures and sea-levels rise, so to does the frequency of climate-driven migration. The search for a safe, healthy, and prosperous place to live has been a feature of humanity since time immemorial...but an increasingly polarized and toxic global discourse sees migrants being increasingly demonized, which makes it hard to have much-needed conversations around the issue. For many migrants of the climate crisis, cities are the end destination, which means that our urban centres need to be prepared for these new realities by adapting infrastructure, services, and policies to create healthy and resilient environments for all residents - old, and new. It’s way past time to open up the conversation. Image credit: Jody Foster Featured guests: Spencer Coyne, Mayor of Princeton, BC, Canada. Jazmin Burgess, Director, Inclusive Climate Action; Giovanni Pagani, Senior Manager, Climate and Migration; and Claudia Huerta, Senior Manager for City Diplomacy and Campaigns, Climate and Migration. Links:  Simon Kofe’s speech to COP26 - New Scientist (Video) Why cities must prepare for climate migration - C40 Knowledge Hub The far right is weaponizing climate change to argue against immigration - Vox Flooded Princeton, B.C., faces days without heat, says mayor - CBC News (Video) $1.7 billion flood projects still stalled in Abbotsford, Princeton and Merritt - Vancouver Sun Future urban landscapes: Climate migration projections in cities - C40 Knowledge Hub C40-MMC Global Mayors Task Force on Climate and Migration - C40 The ‘Climate Migration’ Narrative Is Inaccurate, Harmful, and Pervasive. We Need an Alternative - Centre for Global Development 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 Univ...

Cities as Urban Laboratories: Time to re-think what prosperity really means?

58 min

As the world enters yet another period of unprecedented political and environmental tumult, it is becoming even more clear that our current economic system based on the primacy of profit over the health and wellbeing of people and planet is failing. Throughout history, cities have always been at the forefront of new ways of thinking, and are urban laboratories to test and pilot new concepts. The same holds true today: the degrowth strand of economics, along with policies that focus on healthy people and environments, are being trialled in some Spanish cities, such as Barcelona and Girona. On the other side of the world, it is becoming more widely accepted that GDP is an outdated and inaccurate measurement of the health and wellbeing of a city or nation, and new tools and indexes are being implemented in cities across Japan. Despite their very different cultural contexts, these cities are thriving. Now, the question is: will nation states follow their lead? Featured guests:  Dr Angelos Varvarousis, Author & Research Fellow at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) Takehiko Nagumo, Director of the Smart City Institute Japan Links: GDP Is the Wrong Tool for Measuring What Matters - Scientific American This Pioneering Economist Says Our Obsession With Growth Must End - New York Times 'Letter to Nature' by Mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau - C40 website Girona City Council, a pioneering administration in exploring degrowth - Nació Impacte What is a Smart City anyways? - IMD Japan has a new way to measure city success – happiness - Cities Today New Zealand – Implementing the Wellbeing Budget - Wellbeing Economy Alliance Policy Design for a Wellbeing Economy - JCCPE 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...

The Fate of the Inflation Reduction Act in the Second Era of Trump

33 min

The United States of America’s second withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord under the Trump administration has enormous implications for both international and local climate efforts - and the Inflation Reduction Act is also potentially under threat. If the IRA is even partially repealed, it would be a huge step backwards in the fight against the climate crisis. But all is not lost - engaged individuals and organizations are striving to ensure the it stays and place, and more broadly, cities, mayors, and subnational entities are playing a critical role in continuing climate action amidst federal challenges. This coalition of actors are leading the growing resistance movement stateside and globally, proving the importance of local level engagement in the bid to halt climate breakdown. Image credit: Chelsea Matson Photography Featured guests:  Kate Johnson, C40 Regional Director for North America Amy Turner, Director of the City's Climate Law Initiative at the Sabin Center, Columbia University Links: Trump signs order to withdraw US from Paris climate agreement for second time - The Guardian Elon Musk Says DOGE Aims to Finish $1 Trillion in Cuts by End of May - Bloomberg The Data Hoarders Resisting Trump’s Purge - The New Yorker Inflation Reduction Act Archives C40 website Climate action and the Inflation Reduction Act: A guide for local government leaders - C40 Knowledge Hub One Year After Trump Decision to Withdraw from Paris Agreement, U.S. Cities Carry Climate Action Forward - C40 website Appeals Court Keeps Order Barring Federal Funding Freezes in Place - New York Times 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...

Risky business: How disinformation fanned the flames of the LA wildfires...and why insurance could help mitigate future climate impacts

59 min

Risk is an integral part of the human experience…but risk also needs to be managed if we are to live safe, healthy and happy lives. The recent wildfires in Los Angeles were a tragic reminder of the risks that the climate crisis poses to health, homes, habitats, and the lives of human beings. But the risks posed by extreme weather events are also multi-faceted: disinformation in the wake of hurricanes and wildfires can lead to chaos, with online hate transforming into real-life violence. The insurance industry is based on mitigating risk - but for cities with high probabilities of climate impacts such as wildfires, the risk is becoming too great and financially unviable. There is hope, though: insurance can be used as a climate adaptation tool, reducing risk, to better protect people, cities and the planet.  Image credit: This image was AI-generated and does not depict real events. Featured guests: Jodie Molyneux, Subject Matter Expert (mis- and disinformation) at Resolver Kate Stein, Director of the Climate-Resilient Insurance Strategy Project (CRISP)  Links: Estimated cost of fire damage balloons to more than $250 billion - LA Times MAGA Blames Homeless in Deranged California Fires Theory - The Daily Beast The LA Fires Could Change the Insurance Industry - Harvard Business Review Man arrested over alleged violent threat against Fema staff in North Carolina - The Guardian California wildfires deliberately set for ‘Agenda 2030’ and smart cities? Fact-checking the bizarre claims - Hindustan Times LA's wildfires prompted a rash of fake images. Here's why - NPR Vigilance and protection service against foreign digital interference (VIGINUM) The 2024 Miami-Dade Property Insurance Strategy Forum 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:/...

Dark Machines: AI, Climate Action, and the Future of Our Cities

43 min

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 - BBC AI voice cloning tools imitating political leaders threaten elections -  The Independent New AI Now Paper Highlights Risks of Commercial AI Used In Military Contexts - AI Now Institute A.I. has a discrimination problem - CNBC Generative AI’s environmental impact - MIT  The ‘AI divide’ between the Global North and the Global South - World Economic Forum 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...

Economic Power, Urban Change: Women who are leading the way forward

54 min

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 website IDB and C40 to Strengthen Partnership for Climate Action - IDB website Planting 1 million trees to turn the temperature down - Cities 1.5 podcast episode, featuring Eugenia Kargbo, Freetown Chief Heat Officer Regenerative Economics - The Regenerative Centre Will the end of economic growth come by design — or disaster? Gaya Herrington, TedTalk The Limits to Growth model: still prescient 50 years later Gaya Herrington, Club of Rome website Turnaround Empowerment & Focus on gender equality Club of Rome website Who Cooked Adam Smith’s Dinner? A review Women’s Budget Group website 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 He...

TRAILER - Cities 1.5: It’s Time to Speak Truth to Power

2 min

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 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. Narrative and communications support by Chiara Morfeo. Our Associate Producer is Rachel Schneider. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/

How to protect people and planetary health: Lessons from the Peruvian Andes and New Orleans

1 hr 4 min

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 @ Unsplash Featured 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 Miller The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change Annual Report The Impact of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans - Big Easy Magazine Addressing the Health Care Impact of Hurricane Katrina - The Kaiser Commission What 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 Foundation New Orleans, Reinvented - The Atlantic This is how New Orleans is rebuilding to be more resilient - Global Center on Adaptation Solar and energy efficiency for all - NOLA If you want to learn more about the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy, please visit our website at https://jccpe.utpjournals.pres...

Fighting for a Biodiverse Future: How Canadian climate leaders are preserving ecosystems from their own backyards

46 min

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 @ Pexels Featured 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 Crisis Degradation of nature could reduce UK GDP by 12 per cent - UN Environment Programme Last-minute pledges and sobering science: Where is the World, Post-COP28? Cities 1.5 podcast, featuring Professor Xuemei Bai Arctic impacts: The human cost of melting ice - Cities 1.5 podcast, featuring Sheila Watt-Cloutier COP15 ends with landmark biodiversity agreement - UN Environment Programme The Darlington ecological corridor: a green link in CDN-NDG - City of Montréal Video featuring Sadiq Khan, “Doers not Delayers” - C40 Cities Instagram Montréal Breaks Ground on City’s Largest-Ever ‘Sponge Park’ - Stormwater Report Montréal biodome WWF Canada re:grow program COP16 ends in disarray and indecision despite biodiversity breakthroughs - The Guardian Freshwater Challenge website C40 Urban Nature Accelerator- C40 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: h...

C40 x UN Live: Portals to a flourishing world

51 min

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 Studios Featuring music by Mosoeu Ketlele Panel 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 guests Sasha 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. Links Fresh Milk Art Platform (Barbados) Green Lab Art Alliance UN Sustainable Development Goals Cities are critical: C40 reacts to the UN Pact for the Future - C40 website Barbados PM asks Donald Trump for face-to-face meeting on climate - The Guardian If you want to learn more about the Journal of City Climate P...

How to protect people and planet from misinfluencers in the Age of Disinformation

46 min

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 @ Unsplash Featured 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 1.5 World’s 1.5C climate target ‘deader than a doornail’, experts say - The Guardian Spanish floods: before and after footage shows the scale of destruction in Valencia - The Guardian How rioting farmers unraveled Europe’s ambitious climate plan - Vox EU DisinfoLab Europe was a leader on saving nature. Now, its backsliding could threaten global progress - The Guardian Why Women are Saving the Planet - Cities 1.5 The Natura 2000 protected areas network - EEA Dutch Farmers Protest Misinformation study - Ripple Research Meat and Dairy misinformation study - Ripple Research Investigation into Climate Misinformation on LinkedIn - Ripple Research 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...

The pan-African transition from fossil fuels to clean energy

59 min

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 @ Unsplash Featured 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: Uganda Stop the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline Global 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 Facility A renewable energy roadmap for African cities - C40 Knowledge Hub C40 Cities launches research on South Africa green jobs Cities forge connections with private sector at Africa’s Green Economy Summit - C40 Empowering African youth for a sustainable future in African cities - C40  If you want to learn more about the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy, please visit our website at...

Extreme Heat: The Silent Killer

57 min

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 @ Unsplash Featured 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. Links Summer 2024 was world's hottest on record - BBC As heat wave scorches North India, scientists warn of risks from ‘wet bulb’ conditions - The Conversation Heat crisis - AccuWeather Heat and Health - WHO The Future We Don’t Want - C40 report Heat Action Platform - C40 Knowledge Hub Impacts of climate change on Black populations in the United States - McKinsey Institute for Black Economic Mobility Urban Heat Island - National Geographic Addressing Urban Heat in Buenos Aires: Community-Led Solutions in Barrio 20 - Global Center on Adaptation Buenos Aires 'Citizens Ready Against Climatic Change’ Programme - C40 Argentina fights against vast swarms of mosquitoes blamed for dengue surge - Guardian 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 miniserie...

See all 91 episodes

–

0 ratings from members

5
4
3
2
1

Rate this podcast

Log in to rate and review the shows you listen to.

No reviews yet — be the first member to rate "Cities 1.5".

This podcast, its content and its artwork are not owned by, affiliated with, or endorsed by Castquire.

Keep listening

Discover more podcasts like this.

Browse podcasts See the charts

Up next

  1. Nothing queued. Use + Queue on any episode to line it up.

0:00 0:00

Cookies

We set only what the site needs to sign you in and remember your theme. No advertising, no analytics. Read more.