Podcast

The 11th episode of the Call of Duty series discusses the UN's Sustainable Development Goal of creating sustainable cities and communities. It focuses on the impact of air pollution, the challenges of slums, and the need for improved public transport. The use of smart cities, digital mapping, and free e-transport are suggested as solutions. These digital technologies can empower communities, promote global collaboration, and make cities healthier and greener. The episode ends with a call to action for individuals to contribute to making cities more sustainable. What's up guys, it's Arnaud and Sophie, and we're back with our 11th episode of our 70-part series called Call of Duty. Picture this, the UN is on a mission to transform our cities into vibrant, inclusive, and super resilient hubs. That's right, we're talking about the UN's 11th Sustainable Development Goal, Sustainable Cities and Communities. So let's not waste any more time and dive right in. Cue the intro music! Alright, first up, let's talk about air pollution. Imagine this, we all know the movie The Incredibles. In one scene, the superhero Mrs. Incredible has to stop a time bomb from destroying an island. Now imagine that island is the earth and there's a climate time bomb set off by CO2 emissions, our main villain. Exactly, CO2 emissions contribute to the greenhouse effect, causing extreme weather conditions and health problems. Cities account for 75% of carbon emissions. So who would be considered our superhero? Well, the answer is smart cities. Think of smart cities as turning your city into a giant smart home. We're talking about our superheroes air quality sensors equipped with IoT technology. IoT, or the Internet of Things, connects everyday objects to the internet, allowing them to communicate with each other and with you. Equipped with air quality sensors, they're like secret agents placed all over the city. They detect pollutants in real time and send crucial data to the authorities. Their ability to sniff out pollution hotspots helps city planners develop predictive models for air quality. Barcelona, for example, is already leading the way with these sensors. They help adjust traffic flows and promote cleaner transportation. Good example. This not only improves greener living within cities, but also promotes global collaboration, sharing best practices to combat air pollution. Now let's move on to slums. Imagine moving to the city for a better life. However, with rising urbanization, living in the city becomes unaffordable. Your only option is to move to informal settlements or slums characterized by, for example, overcrowding, poor housing conditions, and poor sanitation and hygiene. In 2020, an estimated 1.1 billion urban residents lived in slums or slum-like conditions. That sounds horrible. What can we do to fix slums? Sadly, you can't get rid of slums because their causes are very complex. But digital technologies can empower communities within slums. In Kibera, Kenya, for example, residents use digital mapping to identify issues and advocate for better services. This empowers communities to voice their needs and work towards better living conditions. By the way, for people who don't know what digital mapping is, it uses technology to create interactive maps that give accurate representations of a particular area, detailing various types of information. That sounds amazing. This means that locally, digital mapping can empower communities, and in a global context, they could revolutionize our understanding of slums all around the world. Lastly, let's tackle public transport. It often struggles to keep up with the rapid pace of population growth. Think of it like trying to fit a whole football team into a small car. It's often too small, too expensive, and doesn't reach every area within the city. The solution? Well, you know those apps like Bolt or Nextbike, where you can rent electric bikes or scooters? Yeah? Well, imagine applying that concept of rental apps in less developed countries, but with a twist. Free e-transport for everyone, governmentally funded or supported by donations. Oh, that reminds me of Bogota, Colombia. They reduce travel times and admission with their bus rapid transit systems. They could use this concept on a larger scale with electric bikes and scooters. But how would that help us locally and globally? Good question. Locally, this solution means more practical and accessible transport. Globally, it's a win for the environment because it reduces greenhouse gas emissions, making our cities cleaner and greener. So, whether it's fighting air pollution, improving slums, or enhancing public transport, digital technologies can make our cities healthier and happier places to live in. Definitely, but change starts with us. Let's make our cities sustainable now. Well, that's it for today. If you like this episode, please subscribe to our channel and give it a big thumbs up. And don't forget to share your thoughts and ideas in the comments. How do you think we can make our cities more sustainable? We'll be checking out your responses and featuring some of the most interesting ideas in our next episode. See you next time. Bye!