Moonshot: City

Cities as we already know, are complex, they will become home to 60% of the global population by 2030. Cities are already the epicenter of some of the largest environmental impacts carbon emissions, transport resources, and hence present some of the biggest opportunities for impact. So what must we consider? Could we look at cities from an emerging technologies perspective? How can disruptive technologies and advancements help us tackle emissions waste or transport? And what are cities already doing?

Carbon experts thinkstep-anz CEO Barbara Nebel and Technical Director Jeff Vickers talk to the Moonshot:City team about key concepts around carbon, including insights into their recent report on the embodied carbon of buildings, and Life Cycle Assessment to support decision-making.

Check out the blog at www.projectmoonshot.city

Founder and CEO of Circularity, Louise Nash, talks to the Project Moonshot:City team about how she adapted design thinking to unlock circular innovation across Circularity projects and XLabs, a circular economy design lab that took place earlier in 2020.

Check out the blog for more insights: https://www.projectmoonshot.city/post/design-thinking-for-circularity

The 20 minute city is defined around an area with a radius of about five kilometres – about a 20 minute public transport or cycle trip – with a potential population catchment of around 200,000 people. This size and structure could be home to a number of communities and neighbourhoods that between them offer most of the services, activities and social infrastructure to meet essential people needs. There are many features that need to be considered in a 20 minute city neighbourhood or city - local employment, affordable and diverse housing and integrated transport to name some of the key ones.

So does a 20 minute city framework create and enhance regenerative and resilient behaviours?

Jonathon talks about short-termism that has led to the Climate Crisis and what can be done about it. He also elaborates on how Climate needs to be treated differently. Climate change is not just an environmental issue. It is an economic and existential issue.

Jonathan is inspired by the incredible upsurge of new energy from young people in particular and from movements like Extinction Rebellion. He sees a phenomenal opportunity now to move the climate debate into a different space with dire urgency because the science tells us that it's not going to be ‘not too late’ for much longer.

Visit our blog on: https://www.projectmoonshot.city/post/climate-change-is-not-just-an-environmental-issue-it-is-an-economic-and-existential-issue

Sean Trewick, Director of Circular Economy Victoria (Australia) talks to the Moonshot:City team about the CEV 5-step model to empower individuals to create circular outcomes, and the start of the Melbourne doughnut economics journey. Read the blog here: www.projectmoonshot.city and follow us on twitter: @MoonshotCity

(Podcast music score - josephmcdade.com/music/lectro-tango)

Cradle to Cradle is a set of design principles which was developed in the 1990s by Prof. Dr. Michael Braungart, William McDonough and EPEA Hamburg. The Cradle to Cradle (C2C) paradigm reframes design as a positive, regenerative force — just like nature, promoting infinite circulation of materials and nutrients in cycles. Rather than seeking to minimise the harm we inflict, this paradigm shift reveals opportunities to improve quality, increase value and spur innovation. It inspires us to constantly seek improvement in our designs, and to share our discoveries with others. How might Cradle to Cradle principles guide us to re-imagine our cities?

Resilient transport systems recognise the interdependencies between the transport infrastructure and other city systems such as water, energy, waste, economy, health, education etc. They understand the risks to the transport system, whether natural, such as earthquakes or flooding or man-made risks, such as ageing infrastructure. When building back infrastructure, cities need to not only be prepared for the next disaster but also must consider what what other kinds of disasters might occur and what other kind of benefits could be build in.

(Podcast music score - https://josephmcdade.com/music/lectro-tango)

How might the reputation economy be a powerful lever for alternative economic models in cities?

(Podcast music score - https://josephmcdade.com/music/lectro-tango)

A circular economy is based on the principles of designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems. Where sustainability is good at defining the problem, around the world, people are looking to circular economy models to provide the solutions we need. But how can we move from circular theory to practice in the context of our cities?

(Podcast music score - https://josephmcdade.com/music/lectro-tango)