Cities 1.5

University of Toronto Press

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.

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Top 10 Cities 1.5 Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Cities 1.5 episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Cities 1.5 for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Cities 1.5 episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

The pan-African transition from fossil fuels to clean energy

Cities 1.5

11/12/24 • 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: https://jccpe.utpjournals.press/
Cities 1.5 is a podcast by University of Toronto Press and is produced in association with the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy.
Our executive producers are Calli Elipoulos and Peggy Whitfield.
Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/
Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/
Music is by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/

Building our way to a cleaner planet: How cities are leading the way

Cities 1.5

05/14/24 • 48 min

Energy consumed by buildings accounts for almost half of cities’ carbon emissions on average. Because buildings can last over 100 years, increasing their energy efficiency is critical if we are to meet our current global climate goals. To achieve these goals, cities must transition fossil fuels out of their buildings.
Image Credit: Tristan Capacchione
Featured guests:
Frankie Downy is the Head of Building Strategy and Implementation at C40. Through her work, cities in the C40 networks can deliver the significant emission reductions required to assure a cleaner urban future for the planet.
Mayor Valerie Plante is leading her city of Montréal, Canada to transition away from fossil fuels. Under Mayor Plante’s tenure, Montréal has committed to transitioning away from the use of natural gas heating and cooking by implementing bylaw restrictions on its use in new small buildings starting next October 2024.
Links
Municipal Building Decarbonisation Network, New Building Decarbonisation Network, Private Building Decarbonisation Network - C40 website
Seattle is electrifying new buildings despite ruling against gas bans - Crosscut
London continues to lead the UK in reducing emissions from new buildings - Mayor of London website
In New York City, we’re taking bold action on climate with building emissions mandates - C40 Knowledge Hub
Retrofit Melbourne
The Netherlands' Pilot Activity: Dutch 100CNSC Cities Pilot - Net Zero Cities website
C40 Cities South Africa Buildings Programme - C40 website
Chicago sues fossil fuel companies for role in climate crisis - The Guardian

Disinformation thrives in times of crisis

Cities 1.5

04/02/24 • 52 min

Efforts to address the climate crisis are under siege beneath a rising tide of mis- and disinformation, with smear campaigns often funded and coordinated by vested interests such as the fossil fuel industry, climate conspiracists looking for cash and clicks, and even national governments. We all have a part to play - we must take responsibility for the information we consume and share to ensure a prosperous, healthy future for ourselves...and our planet.
Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash
Featured in this episode: Xuemei Bai, distinguished professor for Urban Environment and Human Ecology at the Australian National University
Featured guests:
Jennie King is the Director of Climate Research and Policy at the Institute of Strategic Dialogue (ISD) and co-founder of the Climate Action Against Disinformation Coalition (CAAD). She has spearheaded investigations on climate denialism and ‘discourses of delay’ around the world, and has co-authored a number of ISD’s flagship reports on this issue.
Hélène Chartier is C40’s Director of Urban Planning and Design. She and her team develop programmes and activities that support cities to accelerate sustainable and resilient urban planning policies and design practices, including the C40 workstream on 15-minute cities.
Links
How climate change misinformation spreads online - Carbon Brief
The Nexus Between Green Backlash and Democratic Backsliding in Europe
CAAD Data Monitor Vol.1: 15-Minute Cities
The 15-minute city is transforming life for urban dwellers for the better - Mark Watts
15 minute cities: How they got caught in conspiracy theories - BBC News
Carlos Moreno: ‘I received violent death threats for inventing the 15-minute city’ - The Telegraph

What does a good life mean for you?

Cities 1.5

10/22/24 • 51 min

In this episode of Cities 1.5, David and his guests from countries on opposite sides of the equator, South Africa and Scotland, explore how urban initiatives are transforming local communities through holistic climate action and wellbeing practices. Linear economic systems - previously the global status quo - have been proven time and again to be ineffective at prioritizing wellbeing for all...especially when we compare them with circular models that emphasize restoration. Grassroots projects like Scotland's Love Letham and Johannesburg's Makers Valley, which focus on sustainable development, community engagement, and empowerment naturally emphasize the importance of inclusivity, indigenous values, and collective action in addressing socioeconomic and environmental challenges. Our expert guests in this episode demonstrate how in both the Global South and North, participatory decision-making and community-driven projects can tackle poverty, improve health, and enhance urban resilience by integrating climate and anti-poverty policies.
Image Credit: Photo by Jeswin Thomas @Unsplash
Featured guests:
Thobile Chittenden is Network Co-Lead at the Wellbeing Economy Alliance and the CEO of the Makers Valley Partnership in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Hollie Irvine is the Project Lead of Love Letham in Perth, Scotland - one of four Wellbeing Economy pilot city projects from the Wellbeing Economy Alliance (WEAll).
Links
Lessons in Wellbeing Economics: Engaging local communities to bring Academic Principles into Urban Practice - Episode 12, Season 3, Cities 1.5
Policy Design for a Wellbeing Economy - Lessons from Four City Pilots - The Journal of City Climate Policy & Economy, Volume 2 Issue 2, January 2024
Wellbeing Economy Alliance
Makers Valley
A New Story Unfolds - Poem by Thobile Chittenden
Love Letham Project - Perth, Scotland
Official child poverty statistics - Child Poverty Action Group (Scotland)
New report shows what Letham’s children need to thrive - Love Letham website

How Cities can Climate Budget

Cities 1.5

09/19/23 • 44 min

As we aim toward a 1.5 degree future, we need to fundamentally shift the way we lead our cities. One substantial change is that cities need to look to a new form of governance - one that places climate action at its heart. A critical tool for cities is a climate budget: a governance system that offers a way for cities to turn climate commitments into funded and measurable actions across their government. C40 recently worked with a group of international cities to adapt climate budgeting to their own unique urban and social contexts, and this in turn will support other cities who can more easily adopt the policy now that they can learn from these proven examples.
Featured guests:
Catrin Robertsen is Head of Climate Budgeting at C40, a new programme supporting cities to improve their governance systems to operationalize and deliver climate targets. Before joining C40, Catrin worked for the Climate Agency for the City of Oslo as the lead technical advisor on Oslo’s climate budget. Prior experiences include national emissions inventories and impact assessments at the Norwegian Environment Agency. Catrin holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and a Master’s degree in Economics, specializing in development and natural resource economics, from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences.
Trond Vedeld currently works at the Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research (NIBR) at Oslo Metropolitan University as a research professor in urban and international studies. Trond does research in Political Economy, Public Administration and Urban Politics, Climate Governance, and Climate services and has published extensively on issues of political economy, public administration and urban politics, climate governance, and collaborative governance/co-creation in European and African cities.
Links for this episode:
C40 Knowledge Hub's Landing Page for all things climate-budget related
“Why New York and London are betting on climate budgets” by C40 Chair, Mayor Sadiq Khan of London and Mayor Eric Adams of New York City
Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research
"How to lead collaborative governance for climate transformation: A guide for city leaders and decision makers", by Hege Hofstad and Trond Vedeld, Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy"Oslo is Demonstrating Ambitious Leadership through its Climate Budget" by Governing Mayor Raymond Johansen, Journal of City Climate Policy and EconomyImage credit: © Rosanna Wan - C40

A cwtch for the planet and future generations

Cities 1.5

10/08/24 • 40 min

In this episode of Cities 1.5, host David Miller speaks with Sophie Howe, the world's first Future Generations Commissioner about her role and the landmark Wellbeing of Future Generations Act - legislation passed by the Welsh government which aims to improve the environment, economy, society, health and wellbeing of Wales and its people, both now and for future generations. They discuss the critical role of forward-thinking governance in addressing planetary emergencies, and the importance of integrating long-term impacts into current policies. The conversation covers how Wales' unique approach has influenced the creation of global declarations like the Pact for the Future, which was adopted by leaders at the UN Summit of the Future in September 2024. We share crucial insights for cities, mayors and national governments who are looking to adopt similar principles, and highlight the transformative power of local leadership in driving global climate action. Listeners will also learn what a cwtch is, and why both people and the planet need one!
Image Credit: Photo by Patrick Gillespie on Unsplash
Featured guests:
Sophie Howe, Sustainability, Futures and Wellbeing Adviser and the first Future Generations Commissioner for Wales
Links
JCCPE - Special Issue on Ecological Economics
Earth may have breached seven of nine planetary boundaries, health check shows - The Guardian
UN Summit of the Future
UN Pact for the Future
Future Generations Commissioner for Wales website
Wellbeing for Future Generations Act
Welsh road building projects stopped after failing climate review - The Guardian
Cities 1.5 - Lessons in Wellbeing Economics: Engaging local communities to bring Academic Principles into Urban Practice
Wellbeing economy policy design guide - C40 Knowledge Hub
The shared ingredients for a wellbeing economy - C40 Knowledge Hub

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

Cities 1.5

11/19/24 • 46 min

In this episode of Cities 1.5, David Miller speaks with Pragya Senapathi 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 Pragny 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 Senepati 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

From global warming to global boiling: The dangerous present & future of the world’s climate

Cities 1.5

11/28/23 • 51 min

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

Live at London Climate Action Week: Public Transport x Good Green Jobs

Cities 1.5

09/26/23 • 47 min

There’s a crucial link between good green jobs and public transport - in London, and around the world. This episode features a live podcast conversation that was organised by C40 Cities and the International Transport Workers Federation and recorded at London Climate Action Week in June 2023. Inspired by the mission of delivering a fair, inclusive, and just climate transition, this session titled “Investing in public transport: boosting green jobs and climate action” includes voices from London, England, as well as representatives for its transportation industry.
Featured guests:
Mikaela Loach is a youth climate justice activist and co-host of The YIKES Podcast, where they break down issues like climate impacts in an accessible, intersectional, and nuanced way to guide towards unified action. She is the bestselling author of It’s Not That Radical: Climate Action to Transform Our World.
Seb Dance is Deputy Mayor of Transport for London, delivering the Mayor’s transport strategy and ensuring 80% of all journeys in London are on foot, by cycle or by public transport by 2041.
Livia Spera is General Secretary of the European Transport Workers Federation (ETF), which represents over 5 million transport workers in 41 countries. She was nominated as the ETF Acting General Secretary in 2019.
Paul Ainsworth has been employed as a bus driver by Go Ahead for over 20 years. He also holds a range of elected roles within Unite, one of the United Kingdom’s leading unions, and has recently been elected to the union’s national Executive Council.
Links:
European Transport Workers’ Federation C40 Good Green Jobs Campaign
The Future Is Public Transport
Public transport Global Coalition Statement
Spotlight On: Green Jobs and a Just Transition
How cities can make public transport inclusive, equitable and accessible for everyone
How to make public transport an attractive option in your city
Good green jobs: How to ensure an equitable, just transition for workers
Bogotá's 'La Rolita' project | Training women in public sector green jobs
Image credit: © Charlotte Ager - C40

How Cities can Divest

Cities 1.5

10/31/23 • 50 min

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

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FAQ

How many episodes does Cities 1.5 have?

Cities 1.5 currently has 44 episodes available.

What topics does Cities 1.5 cover?

The podcast is about Urban, Action, Society & Culture, Change, Climate, Policy, Earth Sciences, Podcasts, City, Economics, Science, Journal, Cities and Academic.

What is the most popular episode on Cities 1.5?

The episode title 'Last-minute pledges and sobering science: Where is the World, Post-COP28?' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Cities 1.5?

The average episode length on Cities 1.5 is 40 minutes.

How often are episodes of Cities 1.5 released?

Episodes of Cities 1.5 are typically released every 7 days.

When was the first episode of Cities 1.5?

The first episode of Cities 1.5 was released on Jan 3, 2023.

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Cities 1.5

University of Toronto Press

Top 10 Cities 1.5 Episodes

FAQ

How many episodes does Cities 1.5 have?

What topics does Cities 1.5 cover?

What is the most popular episode on Cities 1.5?

What is the average episode length on Cities 1.5?

How often are episodes of Cities 1.5 released?

When was the first episode of Cities 1.5?

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