Urban Exchange: Cities on the Frontlines

• Urban Exchange Podcast Episode 28 - Data-driven urban resilience in Montevideo

  In this compelling episode of the Urban Exchange Podcast, host Lauren Sorkin and Paul Wilson dive deep into the transformative world of digital innovation and urban resilience, featuring an extraordinary case study from Montevideo, Uruguay. Join us as we journey to Montevideo, where city representatives Andrea de Nigris and Ximena Cidras share the city's approach to data integration and municipal collaboration. Learn how this vibrant coastal city is breaking down institutional silos, creating open data platforms, and reimagining urban planning through a resilient, technology-driven lens. The episode explores how cities can use data more effectively, what role leadership plays in driving technological innovation, and how digital transformation can help to create more responsive, adaptive urban environments. Listeners will be inspired by Montevideo's innovative strategies, hearing firsthand how a committed team of professionals is transforming city governance. From creating city-wide data observatories to engaging multiple stakeholders in collaborative decision-making, this conversation offers a blueprint for urban innovation. This episode is sponsored by Visa through the Future Ready Cities Program. Find out more here.

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• Urban Exchange Podcast Episode 27 - Life-saving action on extreme heat

  In this episode of the Urban Exchange Podcast, hosts Lauren Sorkin and Paul Wilson explore extreme heat in cities worldwide. Joined by Dr. Dileep Mavalankar, former Director of the Indian Institute of Public Health, and Nick Jones, Program Lead, Extreme Heat Resilience, at GDFRR and World Bank's City Resilience Program, they unpack a story of urban resilience that began in Ahmedabad and is transforming heat management globally. When temperatures in Ahmedabad reached 47 degrees Celsius in 2010, causing 800 excess deaths in a week, local leaders developed a response. Dr. Mavalankar shares how they created India's first heat action plan, its role in reducing heat-related mortality, and how it inspired over 250 cities across India to follow. Nick Jones from the World Bank reveals the economic and human impacts of urban heat, showing how rising temperatures threaten labor productivity and community health. The podcast also explores strategies like early warning systems, interventions for vulnerable populations, and the role of Chief Heat Officers. Tune in to learn about practical solutions – from cooling technologies to community preparedness. The conversation goes beyond statistics, offering a human approach to a critical challenge. Whether you're an urban planner, policymaker, or concerned about climate change, this episode provides insights into how cities can protect residents from extreme heat. Find out more about the World Bank and GDFRR's City Resilience Program here.

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• Urban Exchange Podcast Episode 26 - Championing urban heat resilience: Global Chief Heat Officer Eleni Myrivili

  In this episode of the Urban Exchange Podcast, hosts Lauren Sorkin and Paul Wilson dive deep into the critical issue of extreme heat with Lenio Myrivili, Global Chief Heat Officer for UN-Habitat and the Atlantic Council. The conversation explores how rising temperatures are transforming urban experiences across the globe, from Athens to London, and the profound challenges cities face in managing increasingly intense heat waves. Myrivili shares her journey from being Athens' Chief Resilience Officer to her current global role, highlighting the dramatic transformation of urban heat challenges over the past decade. She reveals shocking statistics about global temperatures, including how 70 large cities already experience over 150 days per year of temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius. The podcast also delves into the physiological impacts of extreme heat, explaining how prolonged high temperatures can cause significant health risks, particularly for vulnerable populations. Myrivili emphasises that heat's impact is deeply localised, making it challenging to create universal measurement standards. A key theme is the importance of nature-based solutions, particularly urban trees and green spaces, which can help mitigate heat island effects. The discussion also touches on technological approaches like digital twins, with Myrivili advocating for focused, practical applications rather than comprehensive data collection. The episode highlights the growing recognition of cities' roles in addressing climate challenges, with urban leaders increasingly gaining platforms to share their experiences and solutions at global forums. Tune in for a sobering yet hopeful conversation, and understand how cities are confronting one of the most pressing climate challenges of our time, making this a must-listen for anyone interested in urban resilience and climate adaptation.

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• Urban Exchange Podcast Episode 25 - Understanding AI-powered water resilience

  In this insightful episode of the Urban Exchange Podcast, sponsored by Sand Technologies, host Lauren Sorkin delves into the critical challenge of clean water and resilience, with a focus on how artificial intelligence is emerging as a powerful tool to address these pressing issues. Joined by Byron Roelofsz, the AI Solutions Director at Sand Technologies, and Beam Furr, the Mayor of Broward County, Florida, the conversation explores the unique challenges faced by coastal communities like Broward County, which is highly susceptible to sea level rise and saltwater intrusion. Together, our guests dive into the innovative initiatives Broward County has undertaken, including mapping underground conditions, creating dashboards for developers, and enacting laws to consider long-term sea level rise projections. The discussion also highlights the importance of university partnerships in providing credible data and consensus-based projections to support data-driven decision-making. Elsewhere, we look at the potential of AI in water management, covering how it can help cities manage and improve the quality of massive data sets, create digital twins for scenario simulation, and enable intelligent automation in operational systems. There's also time to address the significance of delivering AI insights to a wide range of stakeholders, from executives to the public, to ensure transparency and build trust. Looking to the future, the conversation explores the anticipated trends in the next five years, including the focus on breaking down data silos and integrating information across sectors, as well as the push for greater public access to city and utility data to enable community engagement in water conservation efforts. Find out more about the role of AI in water management by visiting Sand Technologies.

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• Urban Exchange Podcast Episode 24 - The City Resilience Framework & the next decade of resilience

  This episode of the Urban Exchange podcast focuses on the evolution of urban resilience and the critical role of the City Resilience Framework. Hosts Lauren Sorkin and Paul Wilson welcome Jo Da Silva, the Global Director of Sustainable Development at Arup, who shares insights from her decade-long journey in developing this influential framework. The conversation begins by exploring the resilience challenges cities faced in 2024, from heatwaves and wildfires to political upheaval. Sorkin highlights how the sub-national community rallied together, citing the Resilient Cities Network's work on the intersection of climate and health. The discussion then delves into the Urban 20 (U20) initiative, which aims to amplify city voices in the G20 process, particularly around the need for increased investment in climate resilience, social safety nets, and urban infrastructure. Da Silva provides a compelling overview of the City Resilience Framework, tracing its origins back to 2007 and research conducted in Asian cities. She explains how the framework evolved to identify the 52 (now 22) key elements that contribute to a city's ability to cope, adapt, and transform in the face of disruption. The framework's four pillars – health and wellbeing, institutions, infrastructure, and governance – are explored in depth, showcasing its practical application for cities. The interview also examines the challenges of measuring and comparing city resilience, as well as the critical role of finance in driving resilience initiatives. Da Silva emphasises the need to move beyond pledges and into tangible delivery, with the City Resilience Framework serving as a tool to help cities attract investment and implement transformative projects. Find out more about the City Resilience Framework here.

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