As the impacts of climate breakdown intensify, the cost of living crisis takes hold globally, and levels of inequality remain stubbornly high, it begs the question: is our economic system working to meet the needs of people and the planet? The climate science is unequivocal and clear - the 1.5 degree threshold is swiftly approaching, and we can no longer rely on conventional economic models that do not recognize the ecological limits of the planet. Cities around the world are leading the way in establishing innovative wellbeing models, to creating thriving, just and resilient urban environments. This episode unpacks why our current models aren’t working and how purposeful government led action at the city level can support shared prosperity.

Featured in this episode:
“Global wellbeing is at risk – and it’s in large part because we haven’t kept our promises on the environment” UN Secretary-General António Guterres: https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/06/1119532

Featured guests:
Katherine Trebeck is a political economist, writer, and advocate for economic system change. She co-founded the Wellbeing Economy Alliance and also WEAll Scotland, its Scottish hub. She is writer-in-residence at the University of Edinburgh’s Edinburgh Futures Institute and a strategic advisor to Australia’s Centre for Policy Development. She sits on a range of boards and advisory groups such as The Democracy Collaborative, the C40 Centre for City Climate Policy and Economy, and the Centre for Understanding Sustainable Prosperity.

Saiorse Exton is an activist for climate and equality, based in Ireland. She founded her local branch of the 'Fridays for Future' movement and organizes nationally and internationally. For her Rise project, Saoirse rewrote Irish mythology from a feminist perspective – foregrounding the strong characters that traditional narratives tended to suppress. She ended her second term as Equality officer of the Irish Second-Level Students' Union in 2022, where she developed a passion for legislative and student-led activism.  She is a member of the C40 Cities Global Youth and Mayors Forum, working with Mayors from around the world to implement change in sustainability policy.

Image credit: Equity © Erick M Ramos & 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/