In 2017, the UK will see a number of metro mayors take office in major city regions around the country. For the first time these areas will have the powers and controls to govern themselves and encourage economic growth through strategic transport and planning powers.

In this talk, part of the Centre for Cities City Horizons event series, author of If Mayors Ruled the World Benjamin Barber reflects on how cities and their leaders have come to be of significant global relevance, more so than the nation-state, and reflects on how it is at the city level, that the most pressing global issues - whether surrounding climate change or social inequality - are played out and can be resolved.