Maintaining Economic Vitality in a Changing Climate

Originally aired March 22, 2012, Co-produced by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability USA

Download Maintaining Economic Vitality in a Changing Climate slides.

What are the best sustainability practices from across the globe? What makes them successful? What is the evidence that sustainable cities are more resilient? The panel discusses successful infrastructure and capacity building investments that are meeting the dual goals of sustainability and economic vitality. The session explores successful local and national approaches in maintaining business continuity and jobs while responding to extreme weather events, energy impacts and threats from other disruptions to national systems.  Panel members include: 

• Jeb Brugmann, ICLEI founder and Senior Strategy Advisor, and holder of the Millennium Award and the Stockholm Partnerships Award for his international contribution to international urban sustainability, is Founding Partner of the Next Practice.  Jeb’s new book “Welcome to the Urban Revolution” demonstrates how we can transform cities into more productive, equitable, and sustainable places.
• Mindy Lubber President of Ceres, which leads a national coalition of investors, environmental organizations and other public interest groups working with companies to address sustainability challenges such as global climate change and water scarcity, talks about the private sector and the role of investment in the resilient city.
• Lykke Leonardsen, the Head of the Department for Strategic Planning in Parks and Nature in Copenhagen’s Technical and Environmental Administration, has led the preparation of the city’s first climate change adaptation plan. She discusses how the plan will improve the city for its residents and how initiatives will be financed.
• Karen Weigert, Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Chicago, shares a US city planning perspective.  Chicago’s sustainability strategy is focused on mitigating climate change through energy efficiency and incorporating job creation to simultaneously bolster the local economy.
• Lindene Patton, Chief Climate Product Officer for Zurich Financial Services, puts climate risk into an insurance perspective and explains why investment in sustainable infrastructure protects the insurability of the built environment.