Our 21st century city must shed its prejudices. Exploited migrants - whether in forced labour or sex trafficking - have equal rights and opportunity to everyone else, as long as governments and private citizens provide the support they uniquely need.In today’s episode, we discuss why education is essential on two fronts.Of course, it is important for the displaced to learn the language, laws and skills to navigate and make the most of their new homes.But secondly, their hosts must understand the scale and reality of what they - their neighbours - have been through. Sadiki John’s story is a testament to how this can make a difference.Next, jobs, jobs, jobs. As Monique Villa points out, employers must provide meaningful, appropriate work that does not just pay the bills, but, at the very least gives new members of society dignity, and  may well leverage the skills they bring. This is in line with SDG 8.Finally, collective support. Victims of human trafficking and forced labour, and refugees will likely have experienced extraordinary trauma. We must work with local authorities and use our agency to support these individuals and families, and make them feel safe and welcome. Speakers:Monique Villa, Journalist, Author, Philanthropist, Former CEO Thomson Reuters Foundation & Founder of TrustLawSadiki John, Founder,  Lazima Nipate AcademyLinks:Migrateful - cookery classes led by refugee and migrant chefs‘I carried his name on my body for nine years’: the tattooed trafficking survivors reclaiming their past, The Guardian, 16 November 2014https://therapistsbeyondborders.org/Slaves among Us: The Hidden World of Human Trafficking, Monique Villa (2019)

Cities are melting pots for geopolitical ideology, cultural appropriation and expression of identity and beliefs.  As the world continues to globalise, but also polarise, the best parts of this integration are being put to the test and pushing some people to the margins.  In this episode we explore how cities can manage geopolitical conflicts, embrace the richness of cultures and ensure that all individuals and communities are represented and have equitable access.In response to a 2019 report on regenerative city-regions stating that we need a “‘mutually supportive symbiosis between the built, cultural and natural environments,” Katya Letunovsky refers to Henri Lefebvre’s “trialetic of space” and Edward Soja’s “thirdspace”, the intersection of the physical and the perceived or imagined, where policy and decisions happen.  Habidatum provides data to urban planners and investors, for example on how vacant buildings may be re-purposed, and powers the Mastercard Inclusive Growth Score™.  In Manhattan, evidence showed that once commercial rents reach a tipping point, “elite abandoned areas'' get created.  Time-sharing and friendly lease agreements can diversify commercial activities.Spatial equity is about equal access to jobs, services, nodes of activity and green spaces through transport, last-mile connectivity (the development of a bicycle network in Almaty, Kazakhstan being a case in point) and walkability.  Residents’ and census data alone are not sufficient; data can also tell us about the temporary communities congregating at certain times and in particular places.Mary Pagano advocates for obliging corporations and the ultra-wealthy to take more responsibility and to tackle the hollowing out of the middle class.  She points out how women lead and live differently, and urges bringing in more of the 51% of the population into urban planning - life is about more than working and earning money.  She acknowledges her plans to build a sustainable new city in Morocco focused on humanity, health, happiness, quality of life,  urban agriculture and “non-invasive” technology for all will require education.Naresh Fernandes looks at how the informalisation of Bombay’s (Mumbai’s) economy, and politics, are thwarting social mobility and solidarity.  Historically successful, and needed, civil society and trade unions are finding it increasingly difficult to operate.  After the 1992-1993 communal riots, mohalla (neighbourhood) committees convened the worst-hit communities to discuss local problems, and how to resolve them.  This regular concerted effort - resulting in direct action - allowed them to ride through moments of heightened tension.  Hindi films in the 1950s and 60s portray Bombay’s popular promenade, Marine Drive, rather than its mansions, but the incongruous gated communities sprouting in a city with little street crime and break-ins risk making it more dangerous, as they expel Jane Jacobs’ “eyes on the street”.Nonetheless, Bombay’s public transport and spaces allow familiarity across classes, which, in Naresh’s view, can lead to empathy.  He and Mary speak about religions and nationalities cohabiting in New York City.  Following the 1999 police shooting of an African immigrant, Naresh witnessed individual protests by diverse communities, culminating in a collective march across Brooklyn Bridge.  In other words, our voices matter.  Citizen action can derail non-inclusive and marginalizing policy.  We still have the responsibility of being agents of change.Speakers:Katya Letunovsky, VP,  HabidatumMary Pagano, Board Member, Founder,  Hera City, HeraTV, FemFoundryNare

Cities that are congested and polluted, with high costs of living, a perpetual rat race and yet a more sedentary lifestyle, have created physical, mental and cognitive health issues.  Zoonotic, infectious and non-communicable diseases, disability and changing demographics are putting health and social care under pressure.  In this episode we look at how we can provide equitable, effective and regenerative health and social care to our citizens.As Alicia Rojos Santos states, well thought out and implemented policies universally allow for better results in preventative and responsive health care.  Defining and implementing a holistic approach - including pollution, nutrition, education and urban design - is imperative.Of course, policies without sufficient funding aligned to health, socio-economic and cultural needs (not electoral cycles) will fail.  Public-private partnerships have a role as governments alone cannot finance universal health coverage, whether in industrialised countries with ageing populations or global south countries with small tax bases. Paradoxically, we find unused, expensive equipment across African cities.  We must develop capacity, and a culture, to build and maintain technologies locally.  At the same time, Dr Peter believes scaling up and exporting frugal innovation is viable if - once again - we align policy and financing, and we match solutions with needs.Dr Karan Thakur and Peter Waiswa unpack the supply and demand mismatch across the world.  On the one hand there is a brain drain of global south medical professionals moving to better pay and facilities in the global north.  On the other hand you have “medical value travel” where citizens from the global north can get high quality, more affordable options in the global south.  Even though there is also south-south medical tourism, governments in developing countries must recognise that retaining talent at home is vital if we are to fight inequity.Speakers:Alica Rojos-Santos, Senior Consultant, Hanover CommunicationsDr Karan Thakur, Vice President, Projects & Public Affairs,  Apollo Hospitals GroupDr Peter Waiswa, Associate Professor, Makerere University School of Public Health and Karolinska Institutet

By 2050, we expect to have 70% of the world's population living in urban environments.Today, more than 1 billion people reside in informal settlements with the flexibility to engage in activities that are not possible in formal, planned parts of the city.  At the same time, they have precarious security of tenure.  Affordable, adequate and viable housing is both a public good and an economic asset, and so we cannot ignore the link with finance.  Inclusionary housing may require subsidies.  But it is not just about the cost of the property.As individuals, families and communities, our needs evolve over time.  Making safe, adequate, resource-efficient, well-located housing available is a huge opportunity.  In this episode we discuss how we can intentionally accommodate people in equitable, regenerative ways.We discuss switching to more climate-responsive, lower emitting, durable, locally-sourced materials, energy efficiency and electrification.  As Audree Grubesic explains, modular construction (where 75% of the building of a home is done at the factory),  robotics and 3D printing reduce waste, save time, use different materials, and allow for wholesale procurement and therefore housing that is attainable.  Co-operative models enable bulk land purchases and negotiations with private developers.  In the US, commercial space is being re-purposed, though this does come at a cost.For inclusive design, we must work with local communities and cultures - which are not necessarily homogenous or static - from the start.  As Thea Kurdi says, while over 1.3 billion people today live with some form of disability,  ‘universal design’ will ensure housing more readily caters for the different needs of everybody, even as their circumstances change.Finally, housing does not exist in a vacuum - around it are streets, shops, transport, employment, culture, worship, healthcare, schools and other services that draw us to cities in the first place.  However, urban land and its development, says Steve Brooks, is expensive.  Densification and meeting our daily needs within walking distance are essential if we are to fit more people in the same area, and not squander space for private vehicles.  His experience with urban renewal in the challenging hilly environment of Kigali, Rwanda, is particularly fascinating!Speakers:Audree Grubesic, CEO & President, Modular Sure SiteSteve Brooks, Founder and Director of Architecture, Urban Planning ConstellationThea Kurdi, President, DesignABLE Environments

Some of the best and most effective solutions for our planet are right in front of us! In this episode we explored how we can leverage the power and brilliance of nature to help us make our cities more sustainable. It is easily forgotten that nature is the best first line of defence, whether it’s against natural disasters or mitigating the effects of climate change. In fact natural organisms have much to teach us and provide room for nature-based innovation. For example the dung beetle in Namibia with respect to harvesting water in arid environments, Shanghai wetlands using nature to clean and manage water pollution and Laura’s example of plants being the best template for solar panels Policy is essential and can help support existing initiatives whilst also encouraging re-allocation of resources both human and financial capital to better urban design. It is also essential to highlight the importance in redefining and amplifying the positive impacts of nature on our health, wellbeing and city lives. If we learn from nature we can create ecosystems that can thrive rather than struggle to survive. Speakers:Richard James MacCowan, Founder and Creative Director,  Biomimicry Innovation LabLaura Shiels, Research, Education, and Community Outreach, White Owl Spa, Cornell University

Cities attract and preserve our heritage, but the arts can be one of the first casualties during austere times. Now, a wave of polarisation has left us with few places where we can engage in difficult, nuanced conversations that are not black and white. For cities embroiled in or emerging from conflict, the arts can be that conciliatory grey area. The arts can also allow people to learn from the past and make the marginalised visible.On the flip side, creative people are often outliers, easily stigmatized by society, even in large, anonymous cities. While inclusivity is now fashionable, protecting performance and visual artists requires authenticity. In this regard, the unfolding digital art world is providing new opportunities. To make sure nobody is left behind, though, cities must make resources and education available, regardless of whether they are in the global south or the global north.In this episode we look at how the visual and performance arts and culture are shaping cities in the 21st century. We explore how and where culture is supported, and what that means to its accessibility. We also look at what happens to cities that undergo significant political shifts and how we must consciously allow the arts to thrive in today’s competing priorities.Speakers:Aniela Coveleski, Business Representative, SAG-AFTRAShona McCarthy, CEO, Edinburgh Fringe FestivalAdiam Gafoo, COO, Arts HelpLinks:A Discussion on Art and Gentrification in New YorkA Discussion on the Making of Bushwick 

A growing middle class has meant more disposable income; more spending has generated more waste, and that waste is more complex. This is increasingly recognised as unsustainable as natural resources are diminishing and ‘old’ infrastructure such as landfills are falling out of favour. At the same time, the general public is understanding - and experiencing - climate change more. Cities must tackle waste in a way that is socially, environmentally and economically viable. So what next?Firstly, “No man is an island,” as Mie Johnson states. Municipalities can collaborate with - and incentivise - civil society and the private sector, and share learnings. And no two cities are the same. Swati Singh Sambyal showcases Ambikapur and much-vaunted Indore. Their diametrically opposite approaches, one multi-stakeholder, including women’s self-help groups,  and the other capital-intensive and centralised, have both been successful - but it has taken years. Then, as Andrea Basilova stated, consumers need not be passive. If enough of us boycott a product, the manufacturer will not make it.Secondly, data provides transparency for all stakeholders, not least producers, who can track and trace waste streams. Andrea has created a successful business on the back of this.Thirdly, new policies such as extended producer responsibility will require manufacturers to invest in the ‘downstream’ system. Recycling is not a silver bullet, even if countries are introducing targets. Companies may well look to designing waste out as far as possible, tackling the ‘upstream’, as Swati calls it. Deposit return schemes have been re-introduced.  It is now quite standard for city residents to pay in proportion to their waste. More recently, another incentive, paying according to how well you sort your waste, is taking off. Other levers include landfill taxes.Transitions take time, but by combining policy, technology and education, and showcasing best practices, we can move the needle on circular and regenerative practices. We can also demonstrate the investment case and turn a cost centre into a revenue- and resource-generating one.

Urban mobility must tackle an over-reliance on automobiles, which has led to both sprawl and inequity of access to amenities and opportunities, if it is to re-invent itself. Like other utilities such as water, what may have suited cities to date will not be sustainable in the face of growing populations and a changing climate.  Swapping out private fossil fuel cars with electric and autonomous ones is not viable.While digital technology can make transport systems safer and more efficient, we are also updating 200 year-old technology. Electrified micro-mobility to transport people and goods could play a significant role, as we are starting to see in the global north, as long as it is supported by high quality, segregated cycling infrastructure.Citizens, particularly in the global south, are already spending on informal, often unregulated private transport. Governance - the public sector taking accountability - could divert this into integrated mass transit systems. Governments should also enable safe, inclusive spaces and allow urban residents to have access to all the benefits of the city.Speakers:Laura Fox, General Manager, Citi Bike,  Lyft Bikes and ScootersDavid Zipper, Visiting Fellow,  Harvard Kennedy SchoolDorina Pojani, Senior Lecturer, University of QueenslandLinks:Hustle & Bustle podcast: Ep.18 Dorina Pojani - Brisbane's car-free community on Apple PodcastsMicromobility podcast interview, New York Times "Popularity of Ebikes Isn't Slowing Down", TED TalkWhat's Up With That: Building Bigger Roads Actually Makes Traffic Worse | WIRED 

Much of our global greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution come from energy used in cities. Transportation and buildings, in particular, are energy-intensive sectors, as Dr Jan Rosenow states.Transitioning away from fossil fuels is not straightforward, no matter where we are in the world. Godwin Aigbokhan refers to the Nigerian ‘funnel’, where less than 4 GW of the 13 GW electricity generated gets distributed. As a result, there are millions of oversized diesel generators. Dr Jemma Green contrasts this with Germany, which has a high penetration of renewables, but also high electricity costs and carbon emissions due to its grid design and stabilisation requirements.We are now having to change all the wheels - figuratively - after the airplane has taken off. We must move to low carbon sources and tackle efficiency, which includes using energy that is produced, but currently not consumed. We must also look to storage, and to making dispatchable alternatives scalable and cost-effective. Jan sees green hydrogen as potentially playing an important role here, not least in high temperature applications in industry.Both Jemma and Jan talk about the importance of when and where electricity is generated and utilised. Jemma recommends time- and place-based price signals, increasing renewable energy supply only where it matches demand, deploying storage, enabling close proximity trading, and having a more cellular, efficient grid. Shifting from a centralised to a peer-to-peer distributed model is a major urban opportunity. Blockchain-based technology can enable energy communities where electricity - and even the payment - travels shorter distances. Jemma’s company Powerledger is implementing solutions in the global north and south.Aside from physical and digital infrastructure, all three speakers talked about policy, with Europe as the “learning laboratory”, to quote Jan. This includes net metering, smart electricity tariffs based on supply and demand, carbon pricing, and product efficiency. We need ways to increase renewables without wasting energy, making it unaffordable or indeed creating more backlash and knee-jerk reactions from consumers and industry.Speakers:Godwin Eni Aigbokhan - Former Head of Energy and Environment Competence Center, Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Nigeria, AHKDr Jan Rosenow - Principal and European Programme Director, Regulatory Assistance ProjectDr Jemma Green - Executive Chairman & Co-Founder, PowerledgerLinks:UN Habitat on Future of Energy

Whether it is New York City, Mexico City or Ho Chi Minh City, enabling equitable access to clean drinking water, and adequate drainage and storm run-off must overcome multiple challenges.Burgeoning urban populations need increasing amounts of water, but the changing climate is impacting primary sources. “What we have considered sustainable water management for decades is untenable when we consider continuing pressures on supply and quality,” Dr Anna Robuck warns us. Enrique Iomnitz explains the “perverse” vicious cycle of Mexico’s leaky grid. As in many Global South cities, supplying water intermittently reduces water loss, but when the flow stops, the pressure causes even more leaks - exacerbated by earthquakes.Regenerative systems operate on a circular budget with more limited releases of water than the linear model industrialised countries are accustomed to. Enabling safe regeneration - even beyond consumer servicing - requires upgraded infrastructure, and also trust. Balancing safety with sustainability is a challenge even in the United States, where policies do not take into account the slew of chemicals pouring out of households, farming and industry. Governance and funding are often key differentiators between the Global North and South, but cities such as Lingyuan in China are leading the way.The new generation of solutions need to treat water at a lower energy and chemical cost. The ‘sponge city’ concept and retaining increasingly heavy rains are starting to be taken on. To scale and speed up solutions, academics need to collaborate more closely with the private sector and governments. Local community engagement and education, public private partnerships and new distributed marketplaces for the commercial sector, as demonstrated by Romain Joly and Enrique Iomnitz’s enterprises, must also be integrated. Speakers:Dr. Anna Robuck, Researcher, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiEnrique Lomnitz, Co-Founder & Director, Isla UrbanoRomain Joly, CEO at O-We Water Vietnam & Director of business development at 1001fontaines

Today, urban dwellers are removed from food production, which has widened the gulf between cities and rural areas. Convenience has led to an over-abundance of food, but it is not equitably distributed. Nor is it necessarily healthy. Cooking and eating collectively have also dwindled, and conspicuous consumption has become fashionable. Significant disruptions can make bringing food to cities challenging.No change is free, and some can have unintended consequences, but our speakers offer some compelling solutions.Schools must offer experiential education in regenerative, circular agriculture, so that from an early age we understand and appreciate the value of food, and how our choices matter.Technology and data should be used to help make food systems more resource-efficient. There are solutions such as halophytic agriculture and biomimicry.Policy has to be inclusive, so that we all have access to nutritious, tasty food. That means thinking about seeds, greenhouses, transport, waters, wet markets and supermarkets. Governments can learn from Paris and incentivise rooftop farming. They can encourage community gardens and biogesters, promote healthy diets and monitor non-communicable diseases. We look at the different approaches in cities as diverse as Ghent and Quito.Speakers:Henry Gordon-Smith, Founder & CEO, AgritectureAlessandro Parades, EVP of Agriculture, Vidaluz DevelopmentNataly Pinto, Director, Latin America, Rikolto

To start with the obvious, entrepreneurship means thinking out of the box and presenting commercially viable solutions. In the 21st century, urban entrepreneurship must be about relocating the planet’s resources to where they are needed, and keeping them in the system for as long as possible.Secondly, policy is mandatory to enable and scale up innovation and entrepreneurship, but where there are gaps, as Beatrice Hati said, don't wait. Kick-start your idea and choose the moment to bring in policymakers.Next, cities are often the most diverse parts of any country - and entrepreneurship must reflect that. If policies, individuals and investments are not intentionally inclusive, as Rafia Qureshi stressed, we are not going to get different types of support reaching the right people. We are also never going to get the right products designed.Finally, solutions need to be scalable, and urban disruptors need to keep one step ahead if they are to remain relevant. While entrepreneurship can appear to be lonely, some of our big ticket problems can only be tackled through collaboration, as Damarys Zampini and Beatrice said. Our cities are fast changing, as are people’s needs and aspirations - from access to public spaces to the best healthcare and beyond.Speakers:Beatrice Hati, Urban Coordinator, International Center for Frugal Innovation (ICFI)Damarys Zampini, CEO, SustrategyRafia Qureshi, Chief Strategy Officer, Lebec Consulting

Information and telecommunications infrastructure is our most recent urban amenity. Today, wireless voice, data and Internet connectivity and increasingly digital transmission are enabling new types of economic and community interaction. In this episode, we discuss how information and communications technology (ICT) can shape the urban environment, and how cities can create opportunities for ICT. To quote Dr Maria Lema, the ‘Smart City’ should be one which “improves efficiency and provides a better quality of life for all citizens.” For this, we need to address challenges, from a lack of standardisation and processes, to lagging infrastructure and domineering telecoms providers, to technology negatively impacting the climate. Digital infrastructure and technologies must be accessible and affordable if they are to create employment opportunities, improve quality of life, and manage resources for all. Data is what makes a city smart. It helps optimise - and even democratise - services such as transport and healthcare. 5G, with its lower cost of ownership, is changing the way cities operate. A local authority can provide services without relying on traditional network operators. Through artificial intelligence, as Briana Brownell states, there could be fundamental changes in how we live our lives from birth, but citizens must be engaged so that they are able to have agency. This is starting to change. In all these areas, policy and financing need to be strategic, and mindful of the contexts in which the technology operates. In summary, when deployed well, ICT enables cities to make judicious use of the planet’s resources and creates new, equitable social and economic openings and interactions.Speakers:Briana Brownell, CEO,  Pure Strategy Inc.Dr Maria Lema, Co-Founder, Weaver Labs

In episode 2, we focus on re-inventing governance for urban ecosystems of the 21st century through the cities of Rotterdam and Mumbai.Bas Boorsma speaks about our undergoing a transition - from the hollowing out of the middle class to a complex digital transformation that is creating new employment opportunities, and eliminating old ones. The transition is also about actively engaging, preparing and motivating citizens from diverse backgrounds. We discuss what types of structures and policies enable regeneration and inclusivity. Streamlining and collaboration within government are needed, but so is partnership with broader society. Power should be devolved as close as possible to city residents, as long as it comes with the capacity and funding for it to be effective. Even where power is fractured across different levels of government, as is the case of Mumbai, democratic legitimacy should come through a bottom-up citizen participatory approach commingled with more traditional top-down instruments. Design-led technology can contribute to this.The Covid-19 pandemic has made the government - and the middle classes - realise “the city works on the shoulders of migrants”, to quote Dr Anita Patil-Deshmukh. Shocks such as this may impact policy. More generally, though, we must be more nimble. While self-governance has a role, start-ups and scale-ups on the ground hold important insights. Regulators can support innovators while protecting what is best and fairest for society at large.  “Agile is one of those magic ingredients for preparing our cities for our next phase of transition and success,” says Bas.Resources:https://decidim.org/ - free open-source participatory democracy platform for cities and organizationshttp://pukar.org.in/Speakers:Bas Boorsma, Chief Digital Officer,  City of RotterdamDr Anita Patil-Deshmukh, Executive Director, PUKAR: Youth & Urban Knowledge, Urbanism, Research Programme, Barefoot Researchers

For the second season of The Oblique Life Global Goals we have decided to support four organisations (1001 Fontaines, Eleven Campaign, Nula and Sina) that we believe are doing important and impactful work to help reach the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Every episode we will select one of these partners and donate either £100 or $100 for every 100 listeners that download the episode. In this episode we speak with these organisations to learn a little more about the work they are doing, understand why they started and also what they hope to achieve. SpeakersRosemary O'Mahony, Chair of Board of Trustees at 1001 FontainesKyriakos Kyriakopoulos and Mihalis Monemvasiotis, Founders at Eleven CampaignCharlotte Horler, Founder at NulaEtiene Salborn, Founder at SINA

In the second season of The Oblique Life Global Goals Podcast we will be exploring urbanisation in the 21st century, deep diving into the models, systems, elements, challenges, opportunities and solutions. In our first episode we will discuss what the 'sustainable', 'resilient' and 'regenerative' city looks like, explore the models and systems that can help us transform existing cities and build new ones, and discuss why regeneration has to be central to our thinking.Guest Speakers:Dr Tia Kansara, CEO, Replenish EarthPatrick Lamson Hall, Research Scholar, Principal and Founder, NYU Marron Institute of Urban ManagementTomas Diez Ladera, Director, Fab Lab Barcelona

There is so much talk and excitement about the prospects of blockchain, or distributed ledger technologies, including how they will help us transition to more sustainable practices and reach the UN SDGs. However, what is the reality? In this episode we will speak with some leading figures in the climate tech space who will share with us what blockchain can do for the planet, and how it can be sustainable and equitable.  They will also take us through some use cases. 

In November 2021 our Founder Romi Sumaria attended COP26. There are mixed feelings about the success of the conference, and despite the press reporting on some of the big failings of governments and lack of diverse representation there were so many parts of the conference that they didn’t cover. In this special episode we share our experience on the ground at COP26, the conversations we had and a range of powerful messages from individuals across the globe, generations and sectors. There is so much work to do, but this episode is a chance for us to appreciate and be inspired by the amazing impact of a group of individuals that speak for us all! 

The Oblique Life Global Goals is coming back with a new season. Join Romi Sumaria, Aarti Shah and the team’s new Co-Host as they will reflect on season 1, share what theme they will be exploring  in Season 2 and highlight what they are most excited about for the coming season.

In episode 12, we recap the series and look at what consumerism should and could look like going forward. Our speakers bring expertise in the circular economy, plastics and biomimicry, and each has a view on policy and responsibilities. Today, most producers and a growing number of consumers will not deny there is a problem with the take, make and dispose model, but there is, and will be, a groundswell of roadblocks. From monolithic governments to multinationals and start-ups, our speakers bring solutions, which are taking advantage of technological advantages or have been staring at us for centuries - or both.