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The world needs to shift to a new paradigm, but what is stopping us and how can we do this? In 2015, 193 world leaders signed up to the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in order to achieve a more prosperous, peaceful, and sustainable world by the year 2030. We have the technology, we have the people and if we have the money but can we make this target? Romi Sumaria and Aarti Shah explore some of the biggest challenges that we face to meet these goals, share the real st ...
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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…
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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, embrac…
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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 …
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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 ho…
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Nature is constantly seeking equilibrium through self-regulation and regeneration. Humans, on the other hand, have been depleting Earth’s resources, and cities, the fastest growing environment on the planet, have become the epitome of this self-defeating behaviour. We no longer feel accountable for the water we drink, or the heatwaves and floods th…
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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. …
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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 exper…
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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 …
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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 …
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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 m…
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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 d…
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S02E04: Power of Entrepreneurship
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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 inn…
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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,…
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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 tran…
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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…
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S02E01: Introducing the Regenerative City
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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…
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Special: Arts and Sustainability
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One of our big takeaways from COP26 was the role that art is playing in the fight against climate change and towards sustainability and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Art comes in many shapes and forms, and is universal. It has the power to bring together people of different backgrounds, and be thought-provoking. In this episode we will expl…
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Special: Blockchain and Sustainability
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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 blockc…
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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 th…
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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.Av The Oblique Life
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S01E12: The Future of Consumerism
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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 …
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In episode 11, we scrutinise ethics. Today, profits, gross domestic product and growth take precedence over our environment, health and happiness, regardless of the consequences. We explore how we can realistically and holistically change this. After all, hundreds of millions of individuals globally are unable to meet their needs, all while subsidi…
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The financial and capital markets keep economies moving. Episode 10 explores the role of investors - who secure public funds, underpin multinational companies and enable startups to connect and scale - in sustainable production and consumption. We talk about the importance of managing risk and streamlining standards and disclosure that do not deter…
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S01E09: The Global Waste Opportunity
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In episode 9, we explore the opportunities that are offered by resources beyond their current use. In the linear economy, we dispose of the end component or product when we decide it is redundant, but that has led us to unsustainable practices, such as landfills and incineration. In the circular economy, we require segregation, decentralisation and…
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Throughout The Oblique Life Global Goals Season 1, we have partnered with Treepoints, a UK-based social enterprise that helps businesses and individuals offset carbon dioxide. This special episode is an opportunity to learn more about their business, and what they hope to achieve in the long run.Av The Oblique Life
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Episode 8 presents the challenges that the food industry must overcome to accommodate the 10 billion human population forecast for 2050, while restoring nature and mitigating climate change. There is much to 'chew over', from production to storage, trading, transport, packaging, marketing, purchasing, consumption, waste and hunger. As with our earl…
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Following the meteoric rise of 'fast' fashion, there is now increasing pressure to re-think textiles and apparel. In episode 7, we probe into the industry challenges, from the over-production, self-regulation and environmental impact to consumer behaviour and greenwashing. Yet fashion shapes cultures and identities, and so we need solutions. Our sp…
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S01E06: Focus on Consumer Electronics
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Episode 6 presents the myriad challenges the electronics industry is facing, from design and materials to consumer behaviour, obsolescence and legislation. Even if customers want to be more discerning, there are still few sustainable products on the market as of today. Our speakers present a raft of solutions to shift this sector from being one of …
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S01E05: Linear to Circular Economy
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Episode 5 takes us through the challenges of the linear economy and the exigency to shift to a new production and consumption paradigm. We talk about how the Global South has never stopped repairing, re-purposing and sharing goods, and why recycling is at the bottom of the pile in the circular economy. While incremental, bottom-up steps have a role…
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Episode 4 explores the role of policy in production and consumption. France made planned obsolescence an offence in 2015 and curbed retail food waste in 2016. More recently it has introduced a repairability index. Scotland is bringing about holistic, far-reaching change through various tools, including a Green Recovery Plan and a Circular Economy B…
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S01E01: Consumerism in the 21st Century
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Our first episode investigates how consumerism is causing many of today’s global economic, social and environmental problems, and how individual livelihoods and national economies are driven by it. As populations, purchasing power and materialism grow, we must confront the biggest challenges - the linear economy, globally interconnected supply chai…
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Episode 2 explores production, from materials and design to human resources, energy and extending producer responsibility. Supply chains are no longer just about physical goods; there is also the data, and who owns that is a hot topic. Concepts like Cradle-to-Cradle have been around for two decades and, more recently, COVID-19 has disrupted global …
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Episode 3 takes an introspective approach, focusing on why we, as consumers, are so susceptible to wanting more than we need. By overconsuming, we are fast-tracking climate change, destroying ecologies, exponentially increasing waste, and finding ourselves caught on a hamster wheel. While materialism gives us a temporary high as it feeds our insecu…
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Find out what The Oblique Life Global Goals Podcast is all about, what you can expect and what we hope you will take away from being part of this series.Av The Oblique Life
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