[music plays]

[00:00:00] David: It's not overstating things to say that the world is on the brink of disaster. A dark coalition of billionaires, tech giants, and far-right political movements have joined forces with an old foe - the fossil fuel industry - to rip up trusted alliances, and destroy our ecosystems…and potentially our future.

[music fades out]

[music plays]

[00:00:30] David: So, where do we go from here? This season, Cities 1. 5 is speaking truth to power and seeking out those who are leading the resistance. We don't want future life on earth reduced to a mere bargaining chip in the hands of a rising oligarchy. So, we're talking to experts about how we can turn the tide and restore agency to the overburdened many who are suffering under the weighty greed of the few. Experts like Gaya Harrington, economist and VP of Sustainability Research at Schneider Electric. 

[00:01:07] Gaya Herrington: At first glance, it's fairly innocuous. Like, of course you can keep growing on a finite planet. But then if you think about the repercussions of that, of letting go of growth, it means that the ultra-wealthy will have to share more of what they currently have. And I think that's why we see so much pushback. 

[00:01:25] David: Associate political science professor and author, Victor Galaz. 

[00:01:29] Victor Galaz: So, I think one of the most common questions I get nowadays is, like, “Is AI good or bad for climate action?” And I think, of course, it's going to be both. I mean, you can use it for good and you can use it for bad. Who's at the driver's seat in developing these technologies?

[00:01:49] Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr: Today the tables are turned, and it's not a question of hierarchy. It's a question of recognizing the importance and the validity of the role of cities. 

[00:02:02] David: And many more. An empowered future is closer than you think. Season 5 of Cities 1. 5 launches March 11th, with new episodes every Tuesday after that. Come join our global coalition of resistance - and bring your friends, too.

[music fades out]