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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84 episodes
Updated July 23

Episodes84

Newest first

Sep 9, 2025 · 1 hr 3 min
Going Steady with Herman Daly: ‘¡No pasarán’/ É Proibido Proibir’
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 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. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/
Sep 2, 2025 · 1 hr
Going Steady with Herman Daly: ‘For the common good’
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 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. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/
Aug 26, 2025 · 59 min
Going Steady with Herman Daly: ‘The canary has fallen silent’
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 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. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/
Aug 19, 2025 · 56 min
Going Steady with Herman Daly: ‘There are limits to everything’
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, 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 by Chiara Morfeo. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/
Aug 5, 2025 · 2 min
TRAILER: Going Steady with Herman Daly: How to Unbreak the Economy (and the Planet)
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. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/
Jul 22, 2025 · 1 min
TEASER - Going Steady: Happy Birthday, Herman Daly
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. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/
May 13, 2025 · 59 min
Knowledge is Power
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 production by Peggy Whitfield. Narrative and communications support by Chiara Morfeo. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/
May 6, 2025 · 57 min
Brick by Brick: Cities and the future of clean construction
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. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/
Apr 29, 2025 · 46 min
Why we need to adopt a Care Economy
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. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/
Apr 22, 2025 · 57 min
Resilient cities (and how to build them)
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 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. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/
Apr 15, 2025 · 58 min
Out of the frying planet and into the fire: Stories from the frontlines of climate-driven migration
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 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. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/
Apr 8, 2025 · 58 min
Cities as Urban Laboratories: Time to re-think what prosperity really means?
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 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. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/
Apr 1, 2025 · 33 min
The Fate of the Inflation Reduction Act in the Second Era of Trump
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 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. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/
Mar 25, 2025 · 59 min
Risky business: How disinformation fanned the flames of the LA wildfires...and why insurance could help mitigate future climate impacts
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://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. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/
Mar 18, 2025 · 43 min
Dark Machines: AI, Climate Action, and the Future of Our Cities
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 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. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/
Mar 11, 2025 · 54 min
Economic Power, Urban Change: Women who are leading the way forward
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 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. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/
Feb 25, 2025 · 2 min
TRAILER - Cities 1.5: It’s Time to Speak Truth to Power
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. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/
Dec 10, 2024 · 1 hr 4 min
How to protect people and planetary health: Lessons from the Peruvian Andes and New Orleans
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.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. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/
Dec 3, 2024 · 46 min
Fighting for a Biodiverse Future: How Canadian climate leaders are preserving ecosystems from their own backyards
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: 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. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/
Nov 26, 2024 · 51 min
C40 x UN Live: Portals to a flourishing world
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 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. Produced by Jess Schmidt: https://jessdoespodcasting.com/ Edited by Morgane Chambrin: https://www.morganechambrin.com/ Music by Lorna Gilfedder: https://origamipodcastservices.com/