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.

Herman Daly’s Great Debates: The enduring vitality of Ecological Economics

Cities 1.5

03/19/24 • 39 min

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

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/

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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

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

Inspiring Voices of Youth Climate Activists Demanding Action

Cities 1.5

02/28/23 • 31 min

Global youth activists have emerged as the most inspiring voices in the climate movement. They have organized and campaigned to demand concrete and ambitious action from world leaders, and they have successfully put the climate emergency at the center of the global political agenda. Youth activists are rightfully challenging the status quo: showing us exactly how ineffective our current actions are and offering us solutions on what needs to be done today to ensure a climate-safe future...because it’s the only option left.
Featured guests:
Pamela Escobar-Vargas is an activist, speaker, and an environmental researcher. She graduated with a degree in international relations from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and has been an Adjunct Professor of Public International Law, Foreign Policy of Mexico II, and Constitutional law. Pamela has participated in forums such as COP26 and the Pre-Summit on Food Systems. She is currently a youth delegate for the C40 Global Youth and Mayors Forum. You can read Pamela’s article, “Keeping 1.5°C Alive in the Global South: Life or Death” in the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy, volume 1, issue 1.
Betty Osei Bonsu is a circular economy enthusiast from Ghana currently pursuing her Masters degree at the United Nations University in Germany. She serves as the Uganda Country Manager for the Green Africa Youth Organization, implementing sustainable community projects while enhancing youth climate activism. She hosts the YouTube show B. Inspired with Stories from Africa, a storytelling platform focused on community values. She is a member of the C40 Global Youth and Mayors Forum. You can read Betty’s article, “The Grassroots Story: Why Keeping 1.5°C is Vital from the Global South Perspective” in the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy, volume 1, issue 1.
Juliet Oluoch is an environmental conservationist and climate activist from Nairobi, Kenya. Growing up, Juliet saw the devastating impacts of flooding in the neighbouring community of Kisumu County, and was inspired to pursue a degree in Environmental Conservation and Natural Resource Management to find answers to pressing climate issues. Juliet has also been involved with the African Youths Initiative on Climate Change, first as a Communications Coordinator and now as the Deputy National Coordinator. She supports her activism with academic research, with a special focus on sustainable cities.
Esther Yealie Kamara is a gender equality and climate advocate born and raised in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Esther is a student at Sierra Leone Fourah Bay College studying Gender and Development Studies. She is involved with organizations such as Women Deliver, and supports food security initiatives like urban farming and seed banks in Freetown. She graduated from Hilance International Secondary School, and volunteers at the Planned Parenthood Association of Sierra Leone Youth Center, as well as in the

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

Small But Mighty: Edge Cities That Are Leading the Way for Climate Change

Cities 1.5

09/12/23 • 37 min

According to the UN, cities generate up to 75 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions - so we know that cities are the key to unlocking many of our much-needed climate solutions. While larger cities with greater population densities have bigger ecological footprints, emissions are being generated by all cities from around the world; small but mighty cities have a critical role to play too. We all share the same coastlines, and we all breathe the same air - and it might be time to look to smaller cities who are leading the way on climate change to see what else we can be doing.

Featured guests:

Mayor Melissa Blaustein was elected to the city council of Sausalito in 2020, and has been Mayor since 2023. Since becoming Mayor, she has pushed for Sausalito’s own climate action plan - which is vitally important for cities of any size, especially when you’re as close to the ocean as Sausalito. From addressing sea level rise, to electrifying the city’s transportation operations, Sausalito is proving beyond a doubt that they can keep up with their C40 neighbour, San Francisco.

Mayor Michael Cahill was elected as the 34th mayor of the City of Beverly, Massachusetts in 2013. Beverly might be a smaller, quieter suburb to the C40 city of Boston, but the city is driving some big sustainable ideas: from harnessing solar and geothermal technology, to petitioning the state to support much-needed green infrastructure, they’re another shining example of a small but mighty C40 neighbour who is leading the way on city climate action.

Links for this episode:

Better together: How cities can collaborate for faster, more effective climate action

Sausalito Low Emissions Action Plan

Redlining’s Legacy Of Inequality: Low Homeownership Rates, Less Equity For Black Households

Fossil gas research

Solar power in Beverly

Solved by David Miller

Climate Mayors Network

Image credit: © Lizzie Lomax - C40

Do we all breathe the same air?

Cities 1.5

03/26/24 • 46 min

Being able to breathe clean air should be a human right but, according to the World Health Organization 99% of the world’s population lives in areas exceeding safe pollution limits, which has huge impacts on public health. Air pollution, climate impacts, and social justice are three sides of the same issue, demanding an intersectional response that not only makes space for the voices of the most impacted, but also the most disenfranchised.
Image Credit: Photo by Sai De Silva on Unsplash
Featured in this episode: The Great Smog of London, 1952, BBC Archive, Originally broadcast 5 December, 1962
Featured guests:
Agnes Agyepong is the founder and CEO of Global Black Maternal Health (GBMH), an organisation placing research and agency back into the hands of Black communities as change agents in their own health narratives. Key areas of research at GBMH include the impact of air pollution on Black women and their children. GBMH also supports the “Black Child Clean Air” initiative and the “Clean Air Wins” campaign.
Dolly Oladini is C40’s Senior Manager for Air Quality, bringing together global cities within the C40 Air Quality Network to share best practices and solutions for improving international air quality. Dolly previously worked as a senior policy officer for the mayor of London, where she promoted the T-Charge and Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) policies.
Links
The Cost of Fossil Gas: Policy Recommendations for a Clean Energy Transition and a Swift Gas Phase-out in Cities
A Pathway to Prioritizing and Delivering Healthy and Sustainable Cities
C40 Clean Air Accelerator
C40 Knowledge Hub - Air Quality Resources
Breathe Cities unveils new cohort of cities to join ambitious initiative to fig

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

Arctic impacts: The human cost of melting ice

Cities 1.5

05/07/24 • 44 min

Last episode of Cities 1.5, we took you into the Arctic region through the perspectives of a world-renowned scientist and seasoned canoeist and river guide. This time, we’re staying in that region - but we’re speaking to an expert who hails from the circumpolar North about the connections between climate change and human rights. Because Indigenous communities have been calling attention to warming temperatures in the Arctic, and the resulting impacts on their ways of life, for decades already.
Image Credit: Right Livelihood Award 2015 Stockholm 12 / 2015, Wolfgang Schmidt

Featured guest:
Sheila-Watt-Cloutier is an icon in the climate advocacy world, as well as an award-winning Inuk activist and celebrated author. Her book, The Right to Be Cold: One Woman's Story of Protecting Her Culture, the Arctic and the Whole Planet is a national bestseller that deals with the effects of the climate crisis on Inuit communities. She has been a political representative for Inuit at the regional, national, and international levels, most recently as International Chair for the Inuit Circumpolar Council. Sheila was instrumental in the global negotiations that led to the 2001 Stockholm Convention banning the generation and use of persistent organic pollutants that contaminate the Arctic food web.
Links
Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy
Arctic Impacts: Knowledge from the North - Cities 1.5 podcast
Upirngasaq (Arctic Spring) by Sheila Watt-Cloutier in Granta
Book review: The Right to be Cold, by Sheila Watt-Cloutier - The Earthbound Report
Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC): United Voice of the Arctic
Petition To The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Seeking Relief From
Violations Resulting from Global Warming Caused By Acts and Omissions of the United States
Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA)
Human rights violated by Swiss inaction on climate, ECHR rules in landmark case - The Guardian

Beyond Growth: How cities can put people and planet first

Cities 1.5

10/24/23 • 50 min

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

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FAQ

How many episodes does Cities 1.5 have?

Cities 1.5 currently has 43 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 'Herman Daly’s Great Debates: The enduring vitality of Ecological Economics' 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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