Talking Transformations

[00:00:13.090] � Kes McCormick
You�re listening to a mini-series that explores cities, climate, and change� part of a new podcast collection called Talking Transformations produced by the International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics at Lund University. My name is Kes McCormick, and in this mini-series, I�ll guide you through a collection of interviews, recorded at the ICLEI World Congress, hosted in Malm�, Sweden during May 2022.� We�ll explore the dynamics of transformation in cities responding to climate change. We�ll meet influential change-makers from a range of organisations including the World Resources Institute, the European Commission and ICLEI.� And, through our discussions, I hope to share knowledge, examples, and inspiration relevant to you in your city, as we ask� �What next for cities?�

[00:00:59.810] � Mathew Baldwin
I'm Matthew Baldwin, I'm from the European Commission and I have the honor, and it really is an honor, to be the mission manager for the 100 climate Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030. Mission as in moonshot.

[00:01:13.730] � Kes McCormick
Look, it's an incredible job. I am very jealous of your job. You obviously work with cities already, you. Think cities are important, but what role can cities really play in climate action?

[00:01:25.380] � Mathew Baldwin
Well, cities are hugely important because they already constitute 75% of climate emissions. I heard today, in fact, that could be 80% according to the latest IPCC report. But also cities have the shorter commuting times, the density of population, density of buildings to actually make it easier to get into tackling climate emissions. They are also most able to realize what I call excitably the co-benefits. The better air quality, the reduced congestion, the fewer road deaths, hopefully the lower energy bills getting out from Vladimir's hydrocarbons. I mean, all of these things can be realized, but at the same time you have this group of mayors which just radiate energy, renewable energy. They're so ready to go. And we have just selected our 100 climate neutral cities and it's an exciting time.

[00:02:15.620] � Kes McCormick
Yeah, look, that leads into my next question. I mean, there are these missions in Europe, there's these different missions and there's these particular missions on climate neutral cities. But what exactly is it and what can we expect from it in the near future?

[00:02:28.380] � Mathew Baldwin
Well, thanks. Yeah, I mean, the missions are an exciting idea. We have five missions under Horizon Europe, and this idea was born by a brilliant academic called Mariana Mazzucato, who said, let's think differently about how we do our research in the EU. Look for really concrete objectives around big societal objectives. I'm very excited to do this one. I think this is of course it's the best. It's got the most concrete objectives, the most realizable ones. But the idea is to really try to concentrate our research and innovation resources on this tight objective and then to try to draw in other sources of funding. So now we've launched the cities, we'll be inviting them to start work on what we call climate city contracts, which have three parts. Firstly, the action plan how to reduce the emissions by 2030 in energy and transport and buildings. Secondly, the investment and financing plan, hugely expensive undertaking. How do you shape the financial resources to do that? And thirdly, the contract itself, the mayor, with her or his citizens, setting out precisely what the commitment is and hopefully generating other commitments from groups of citizens and connections with national and regional support. I'm sorry, I'm speaking in a nutshell, but that's the basis of it and bringing it at each stage, bringing the citizens engagement, that sense of involvement, which may, as you know, we need to feed off.

[00:03:48.410] � Kes McCormick
Look, I mean, I think you're selling it pretty well and obviously there is a great plan here behind it as well. So there's the 100 cities themselves who have been selected, 112, I believe, to be exact. But how will we generate lessons from those cities and inspire other cities? Because we know there's a lot of cities in Europe and around the world. How will we do that through the mission?

[00:04:10.190] � Mathew Baldwin
Precisely. It's 100 cities from each one of our EU member states and twelve from the associated countries as well. So I was talking to Norwegian cities and there are some Turkey cities and even British cities. So this is the group. But when we launched the call, we didn't know how many are going to come in. And we had 377 bids, which means there's a lot of seriously good and interesting cities out there. So we've actually had to do a bit of a rethink in choosing these 112. We've also set out very clearly to all the cities who applied, how we can engage them, how we can develop the national networks of support, how we can do twinning and teaming exercises, so that all the cities that want to do it can come along on the journey. And we're going to have to see how it works. We've got to apply our resources wisely, talk to everyone, try to engage everyone, and I think a lot of cities are going to come along with the ride and it's going to be very exciting.

[00:05:06.090] � Kes McCormick
No, absolutely. I mean, I can see really how these cities can be leaders and kind of inspire other cities and how they can share learning.

[00:05:11.950] � Matthew Baldwin
That's important because we have two objectives. Firstly, the 100 by 2030, but also to enable all cities to get there by 2050. So it's got to be an inclusive, transparent process.

[00:05:23.390] � Kes McCormick
Look, this next question is probably going to be the toughest of all.

[00:05:26.220] � Matthew Baldwin
Ready, bring it on?

[00:05:27.510] � Kes McCormick
Can you suggest a city somewhere in the world, in Europe or somewhere else in the world that inspires you, one particular city that you think is a leader in this space on climate neutrality?

[00:05:38.430] � Mathew Baldwin
That is a terrible question. All right, I'm going to cop out. Here we are in Malmo. In Sweden. It's one of the 100 and okay. This sounds like a politician's answer. But I found myself inspired by every city I go to. Which has got this ambition and just coming into Malmo today. In fact. Just seeing the plans they've already got for active mobility and seeing how the sense of the city I'm inspired by each one of the cities and right now I'm most inspired by Malmo because that's where I am. How about that for a cop out answer?

[00:06:06.420] � Kes McCormick
That is a fantastic answer. Look, I agree with you that there are so many examples of cities working around the world on this topic and doing such great work.

[00:06:14.770] � Mathew Baldwin
You want me to say, Lund, didn't you?

[00:06:16.330] � Kes McCormick
No, I'm pretty happy with Malmo. It's a great city as well. I mean, I think, again, there's just so many cities we can learn from. The final question, you must come into contact with a lot of national policy makers and also perhaps multinational companies. What do you say to them about how they should be supporting the mission for climate neutral cities?

[00:06:35.970] � Mathew Baldwin
That's a great question. This is the ultimate partnership and these contracts again, need to roll out with private sector, with industries, local industries, banks, local banks, and we're seeing that happen in cities like Levin just down the road from Brussels. But it really got a partnership going with local industry. I think it's because these cities are going to be attracting, by their nature, the best and most skilled workers. It's a natural place for big companies to come and invest. Companies themselves know they've got to go climate neutral and we're best to do that, but in a climate neutral city which is going to give them all the tools and the environment in which to become truly climate neutral.

[00:07:15.000] � Kes McCormick
Look, thank you so much for your time. And Matthew, it's great talking to you. I mean this mission, it is so exciting. I mean, I can feel the excitement of you, but I think there are so many people around Europe and around the world that are excited about these missions and it is a huge collaborative exercise. So thanks a lot.

[00:07:29.440] � Mathew Baldwin
Well, thanks a lot. We're just at the bottom of the mountain. We're now going to start going up that mountain and then the slogan of the mission is let's go. Thank you.

[00:07:50.550] � Kes McCormick
Once again, we thank our guest for joining us on this episode of Talking Transformations, a new podcast collection by the IIIEE at Lund University.�In addition, we produce a monthly podcast called �Advancing Sustainable Solutions�, available wherever you listen to podcasts.�This mini-series is produced in collaboration with the podcast team of �Advancing Sustainable Solutions�, and supported by ICLEI and Viable Cities. ICLEI, also known as Local Governments for Sustainability, is a global network of more than 2500 local and regional governments committed to sustainable urban development. Viable Cities is a strategic innovation program in Sweden focusing on the transition to climate-neutral and sustainable cities.�If you want to learn more about ongoing research and activities, visit our website at www.iiiee.lu.se. And, stay tuned for new episodes of Talking Transformations.