Sparks

From exploring carbon-cutting technologies in Scotland to learning about how the impacts of climate change can affect the security of global health resilience, this special edition podcast series has highlighted new information and perspectives and has challenged what we thought we knew.

In this final episode we discuss COP26 and the Path Ahead and reflect on learnings from across the series and to discuss how we can Collaborate. Act. Commit to create a more resilient and sustainable world, together.

Coming to you live from the World Climate Summit in Glasgow, we’ll be bringing you the key highlights from the event and chatting with some of the world’s most influential green leaders. Join us as we explore the latest partnerships, policies, innovations and investments that are driving action on climate change.

Dubai is well known around the world for the dramatic growth of the city since the UAE was founded in 1971, but what is not as well-known is that Dubai is a model for the country’s focus on sustainability and the ongoing transition to sustainable and smart cities. This year, the eyes of the world will be on the UAE as Dubai is set to host the first World Expo in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region starting in October 2021.

In this episode we talk about how sustainability is a sub-theme of Expo 2020 Dubai, which presented the opportunity for the global community to share challenges, lessons learned, and solutions from the around the world. For Expo, the event is an opportunity to advance the UAE’s sustainability agenda and create a model of sustainable urban development that will live on as District 2020 after the event.

Within the next 30 years, it’s estimated that close to 70% of the global population will be living in urban areas. As this transition starts to place greater demand on critical infrastructure and resources, how can cities achieve sustainable growth and reach net zero emissions?  

In this episode, we discuss the challenges in decarbonizing cities and how the city-state of Singapore is addressing this challenge head on through its “Green Plan” – a set of initiatives to advance progress on key sustainable development targets related to their energy, buildings, transport, food, waste and water industries.  We’ll also explore the role of green finance in accelerating decarbonization and sustainability agenda in both Singapore and across Asia.

Climate change impacts essential elements of our environment and health by intensifying existing health threats and supporting emergence of new global health problems. Some notable issues that climate change exacerbates are respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, injuries related with environmental changes, as well as food and water safety/security and changes into infectious diseases pattern. The World Health Organization estimates that between 2030 and 2050, climate change will cause 250,000 additional deaths per year and will increase costs to health by 2-4 billion per year by 2030. In addition, climate change is a major contributor to complex emergencies that are more frequent than ever.

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Nino Kharaishvili and Ms. Andrea Rezzonico about health and climate intersection and how it impacts the global One Health initiative and our common ecosystem. We will be exploring geographical areas around the globe and examine population categories that are most affected by the climate change and complex emergencies.

We will also be discussing some actions that policy makers and leaders around the world need to take to build population resilience towards adverse effects coming from the climate change.

The Asia Pacific region is home to over half of the world’s population, consumes over 60% of the world’s energy and consists of some of the fastest growing economies internationally. The region is also defined by its diverse spectrum of socio-economic and geographic conditions, along with similarly varied national priorities and policies. This complexity brings unique challenges to the region’s energy transition efforts, especially in relation to balancing energy equity, security, and sustainability.  

In this episode, we explore how Asia Pacific’s diversity could also act as a catalyst for the net zero agenda and accelerate the transition through trade, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration opportunities.

With a heavy focus on car-based mobility, America’s transport network is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the country. But the return to the Paris Agreement by the Biden Administration and the strong commitments to net zero emissions by many companies in America’s transport industry has marked an important turning point for the country.  As America’s transport system begins its transition, we’re also presented with a window of opportunity to plan a more equitable network to support a healthier, fairer, and more resilient future. 

In this episode, we’ll explore some of the challenges surrounding America’s green transportation transition, how innovative solutions could expand electric mobility options, and how placing social value at the heart of infrastructure planning will be key to creating a successful network.

The countdown to COP26 draws closer and this November, all eyes will be watching Scotland. With a long and rich history of discovery and innovation and its collective commitment to net-zero emissions by 2045, the Scots are at the forefront of real action on the climate crisis.

In this episode, we explore how Scotland is turning cutting-edge ideas into practice to mitigate the impacts of climate change, the role of Scottish research and innovation, and how the country has shown that with the right infrastructure, assets, creativity and determination, a green economy can thrive.

Coming soon - Jacobs and the World Climate Foundation (WCF) are collaborating on “Sparks”, a limited-edition podcast series. Join our series hosts Zoe Haseman of Jacobs and Jens Nielsen of the WCF as they welcome experts from across the globe to explore how different countries are tackling their climate challenges. Stay tuned for our first episode, as we visit Scotland in anticipation of COP26.