In this final episode of City Climate Innovation, special episodes of the ClimateTalks Podcast produced by GCoM, Melbourne Centre for Cities and Melbourne Climate Futures, we bring a “fire side chat” with the co-chairs of the Innovate4Cities 2024 Conference – Ben Jance, Head of Research and Innovation at GCoM; Lea Ranalder Associate Programme Management Officer at UN Habitat; and two other key members of the event organizing team and lead authors of the Outcomes Report. We have the mastermind of the new city building form of the updated Global Research and Action Agenda for Cities and Climate Change Science (or GRAA) – Andrew Irvin; and curator of the Plenary Sessions, Hackathon and Climate Innovation Readiness Navigator Samia Khan. These guests join host Cathy Oke, Associate Professor Cathy Oke Senior Advisor to the Innovate4Cities Initiative and Director of Melbourne Centre for Cities. In this final episode of this third series of special episodes of the ClimateTalks Podcast series produced in partnership with GCoM, we conclude the discussions on themes of the 2024 Innovate4Cities Conference with key outcomes from this event, including the third iteration of the GRAA. The clip at the beginning of the episode is Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer, former Grand Chief of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke opening the 2024 Innovate4Cities Conference.

In this first episode we kick things off with the Special Envoy for Cities in CHAMP (the Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships), Global Ambassador for the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, and former three-term mayor of Vancouver, British Columbia, Gregor Robertson. We also have Professor Nicola Tollin, Chairholder and Coordinator of the UNESCO Chair on Urban Resilience at the University of Southern Denmark – perhaps more recently known for spearheading the research on the urban content of the nationally determined contributions (NDCs). These guests join hosts Ben Jance and Cathy Oke in the first episode of City Climate Innovation, special episodes of the ClimateTalks Podcast produced by GCoM. This marks the third series of special episodes of the ClimateTalks Podcast series produced in partnership with GCoM, now focused on the key themes of the 2024 Innovate4Cities Conference. Today, we will explore the potential for multi-level partnerships and governance efforts to address city-level research & innovation demands in the face of climate change. The clip at the beginning of the episode is Gregor Robertson speaking at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bonn, Germany.

In this episode we speak with Abigail Binay, Mayor of Makati, Philippines. Since 1975, the City of Makati has been part of the National Capital Region comprising the greater Manila area, incorporated as the seventh city in Metro Manila in 1995. With a population of over 629,000 within an area of 21.57 square kilometers, Makati is one of the most densely inhabited urban environments on the planet, which gives rise to a range of governance considerations. Seeing an average temperature during summer months reaching 34 degrees Celsius with consistently high humidity, inhabitability is an imminent threat with wet bulb temperatures of 35 degrees becoming increasingly common. Additionally, subjected to the threat of the world’s most severe typhoons, the exposure to climate hazards is particularly pronounced for Makati. To address climate threats and improve resilience for the residents of Makati, Mayor Binay’s office has initiated a range of interventions, including the declaration of a climate emergency, and the establishment of their CafeTalks climate outreach series. With an Investment and Incentive Code put in place to reorient private sector action, mobilized capital, primarily through public-private partnerships, has helped to bridge adaptation financing gaps for major projects, with adaptation finance incorporated into core administrative policies. We also have joining us today some crucial team members from the City of Makati, Merlina Panganiban – Head of the Makati City Urban Development Department, Xenon Walde – Environmental Planner and Manager, Department of Environmental Services, and Liza Velle Ramos – Research & Planning Division Head, Makati City Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Office. Providing a broader perspective on the value of municipal action, we’re also joined by Dr. Bernadia Tjandradewi, Secretary-General, UCLG-ASPAC. These guests join hosts Ben Jance and Cathy Oke, in the third episode of City Leaders, special episodes of the ClimateTalks Podcast produced by GCoM, a series of special episodes of the ClimateTalks Podcast series, to discuss Innovate4Cities and consider the potential for multilevel support for climate action.