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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
  • Feb 7, 2023 · 41 min

    The Dirty Truth about “Natural” Gas

    The dirty truth about “natural” gas is that there’s nothing clean or green about it - in fact, it's as dirty as coal. From a carbon emissions perspective, the continued use of fossil gas is incompatible with the 1.5 degree goal of the Paris Agreement, and it must be rapidly phased out. The global energy crisis we're currently facing has shone a light on our over reliance on fossil gas and the social and economic costs it imposes on society. Cities have a big role to play in the energy transition because they can influence the shift from fossil fuels to clean energy - but also because they directly benefit from the health, social, and economic outcomes the transition will deliver. Featured in this episode: C40 Knowledge Hub: https://www.c40knowledgehub.org/ C40’s The Cost of Fossil Gas: The Health, Economic, and Environmental Implications for Cities report: https://c40.my.salesforce.com/sfc/p/#36000001Enhz/a/1Q000000ggOS/lFT5Gq0MZg95h1T6XPMFFSOVQ5FjGjByWuUt0IIgxvI The International Energy Agency’s 10 Point Plan to Reduce European Union’s Alliance on Russian Natural Gas: https://www.iea.org/reports/a-10-point-plan-to-reduce-the-european-unions-reliance-on-russian-natural-gas Featured guests: Rachel Huxley is the Deputy editor of the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy and is Director of Knowledge and Learning, C40 Cities. She is responsible for C40’s knowledge management and research strategy. Her research looks at the processes and practices of transition and decision making. As part of her work on sustainable cities Rachel established and led the Sustainable Cities Network, an informal network of leading UK cities to enable sharing of best practice and challenges. Brian Motherway is the Head of the Energy Efficiency Division at the International Energy Agency and oversees a range of analytical and outreach programmes supporting energy efficiency globally. Prior to joining the IEA Brian was Chief Executive of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. Image credit: ©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/

  • Jan 31, 2023 · 45 min

    Climate is a Jobs Issue: How Cities Are Leading the Way

    In the global transition away from fossil fuels to a world fueled by renewable energy, new green industries and job opportunities are emerging. As new jobs in sustainable sectors continue to grow, employment opportunities linked to fossil fuels will diminish – which is why the energy transition must have equity at its core. A just transition is a vision for a greener, healthier, and more prosperous future for everyone, where no one is left behind. In this episode, host David Miller speaks to three guests: Jim Stanford is a Canadian labor economist who has been a leading voice in making fair and green jobs work over the last 20 years; Mayor Kate Gallego of Phoenix, Arizona, is leading her city to meet its goal to become the most sustainable desert city in the United States; and Is’haaq Akoon is a city leader from Ekurhuleni, South Africa, who is leading on a City Just Transition Commission to address these issues at an urban level. Featured in this episode: A Just Transition: How to Make Action on Climate Change Fair and Inclusive in conversation with then International Trade Union Confederation General Secretary, Sharan Burrow, https://www.adb.org/news/videos/just-transition-how-make-action-climate-change-fair-and-inclusive-adb-insight-full Featured guests: Jim Stanford is a Canadian economist and Director of the Centre for Future Work. Jim is the Harold Innis Industry Professor in Economics at McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada, and an Honorary Professor in the Department of Political Economy at the University of Sydney. Jim has written, edited or co-edited seven books, and dozens of articles and reports in both peer-reviewed and popular outlets. Jim’s article, “Cities can lead the energy employment transition… but they must plan for it”, has been published as an advance access article online and will be featured in the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy volume 2, issue 1 in 2023. Mayor Kate Gallego is the second elected female mayor in Phoenix’s history, and the youngest big city mayor in the United States. She graduated from Harvard University and earned an MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Mayor Gallego has focused on three key policy areas during her time in office: diversifying the economy, strengthening infrastructure investment, and working to make Phoenix a leader in sustainability. Mayor Gallego is passionate about building a Phoenix that works for everyone and increasing the quality of life for all residents. Is’haaq Akoon has been a dedicated employee of the City of Ekurhuleni since 2008. He currently holds the office of Senior Manager Climate Change and currently heads the City of Ekurhuleni - Resilience Forum, where all projects and programmes are discussed to ensure that the impacts and effects of climate change are adhered to. The direction and implementation of key mitigation and adaptation projects and programmes within the city. Image credit: ©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/

  • Jan 24, 2023 · 43 min

    Keeping 1.5 Degrees Alive

    1.5 degrees Celsius is a vitally important figure. In the 2015 Paris Agreement, global leaders set a target to limit global warming and hold the overall global average temperature rise to 1.5 degrees. Ever since, city leaders in the C40 network have helped the world recognize that this target is not only essential, but possible—as long as we act quickly. C40 cities are demonstrating what ambitious action looks like and what a future looks like where everyone can thrive. In this episode, we will hear about the latest climate science, the most ambitious city-led climate action, and one of the youth voices demanding we move climate action forward now. Featured in this episode: COP27 World Leaders Summit Opening Speech by Mia Mottley, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5J0egwAfO0w Featured guests: Sir David King is the founder and chair of the Climate Crisis Advisory Group and is chair of the Centre for Climate Repair at Cambridge University. He previously held the position of permanent Special Representative for Climate Change from September 2013 until March 2017. He was the UK Government's Chief Scientific Advisor from 2000 to 2007, during which time he was instrumental in creating the Energy Technologies Institute. Sir David has published over 500 papers on science and policy, for which he has received numerous awards. He holds 22 honorary degrees from universities around the world. Sir David was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1991, a Foreign Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2002 and was knighted in 2003. Governing Mayor Raymond Johansen was elected to the City Council of Oslo in 2015. He was Secretary General in the Labour Party from 2009 to 2015 and served twice as State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He also served as Vice Mayor of Transport and Environment in the City of Oslo from 1991–1995. Mayor Johansen has extensive international experience, and has been Secretary-General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, Head of department in the Norwegian agency for International Development and Chargé d’Affaires at the Norwegian Embassy in Eritrea. Governing Mayor Johansen’s article, “Oslo is Demonstrating Ambitious Leadership through its Climate Budget,” was published in the first issue of the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy and can be read online. Zainab Waheed is a youth climate activist from Pakistan. She is currently doing her AS Levels from the Lahore Grammar School Islamabad and has been representing Pakistan internationally at COP26 and COP27. Zainab believes that climate change is a social injustice issue, which requires each one of us to demand climate justice, finance, and accountability. Zainab’s article, “Accountability is Imperative to Keeping the Vision of 1.5°C Alive”, was published in the first issue of the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy and can be read online. Image credit: ©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/

  • Jan 3, 2023 · 3 min

    TRAILER - Cities 1.5: The 1.5 Degree Mission

    Welcome to the Cities 1.5 podcast — a show dedicated to maintaining rising global temperatures to a maximum of 1.5º Celsius. Each Tuesday, join host David Miller as he speaks with the mayors, youth leaders, researchers, and urban climate defenders who are working toward transformative solutions to today’s most pressing climate challenges. Global cities are helping to shape a more resilient and economically stable world through action, climate policies, and research. The fight toward a resilient planet is closer than you think — our first episode debuts January 24th, 2023 so, subscribe to this podcast today so you don’t miss a single episode. Cities 1.5 is hosted by David Miller, Managing Director of the C40 Center for City Climate Policy and Economy, and produced by the University of Toronto Press. Cities 1.5 supports the mission of the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy. 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/