As COP29 ends, what do the negotiations mean for climate change within cities?
This episode explores the key takeaways for urban areas, regarding the knowledge shared and new commitments (e.g.., finance for mitigation and adaptation). The discussion covers both progress made and key challenges that must be overcome to meet commitments.
Hosted by Dr Katherine Maxwell with guest Mark Watts
Mark Watts is Executive Director of C40 Cities, a global network of nearly 100 mayors of the world’s leading cities united in confronting the climate crisis. C40 cities represent 25% of global GDP and hundreds of millions of residents. Named as a TIME100 climate leader in 2023, Mark helped establish C40 in 2005 during his time in London city government and was appointed Executive Director of the organisation in 2013. Since then, C40 has grown rapidly in scope and ambition. Under his leadership, C40’s 400+ global staff are focused on showing through city leadership how the world can halve global fossil fuel use by 2030 while creating millions of good green jobs and reducing inequality. Mark has been a thought leader and doer on climate for years, working in both the private sector and city government before joining C40. Mark was previously a director of the pioneering consultancy firm Arup’s energy and climate team, and before that was the climate and sustainable transport adviser to the Mayor of London where the London Evening Standard described him as “the intellectual force behind Ken Livingstone’s drive to make London a leading light of the battle against global warming.” Mark holds a Masters in History and Politics from the University of Nottingham. In his spare time, Mark enjoys running up and down mountains, and live music.
https://www.c40.org
Dr Katherine Maxwell, Research Associate & Visiting Fellow, University of Oxford
Dr Katherine Maxwell is currently a Visiting Fellow at the Global Centre on Healthcare and Urbanisation (GCHU) at Kellogg College, University of Oxford. She is also Technical Director - Net Zero Cities at Sweco UK. With over a decade of experience working with municipalities on their ambitious sustainability strategies, Dr Maxwell has worked with C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, LSE Cities, The University of Edinburgh, Cambridge ZERO and the Scottish Government.
https://www.gchu.org.uk
https://www.kellogg.ox.ac.uk
