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If/When Sep 29, 2020

Sustainable Urban Development: Creating Better Places to Live

Show Contributors: Kari Aina Eik, Kate Kenny, Paul Thies

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According to a UN World Cities report, globally by 2030 it is projected that there will be 706 cities with at least one million residents; and there will be 43 megacities (which are cities with over 10 million people). As life in urban environments continues to grow, what can be done so they are well positioned to allow people to thrive while also ensuring maximum care for environmental concerns? In this episode of If/When, we talked with Kari Eik - Secretary General, Organization for International Economic Relations and Leader, United 4 Smart Sustainable Cities Implementation Program, and Kate Kenny – Jacobs’ Head of Sector - Cities and Places, Europe.

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Episode notes

Kari Aina Eik is the Secretary General of the OiER – Organization for International Economic Relations, based in Vienna, Austria. OiER is a global business platform facilitating cooperation between enterprises, investors, governments, international organizations and funding institutions, www.oier.pro. Focus of the work is also to initiate business partnerships for development within areas of urban development/smart cities, energy, mobility, health, education and environment. Kari Aina Eik has previously worked 15 years for the United Nations as Advisor for multi-national and multi-stakeholder program development, fund mobilization and strategic communication initiatives.

Kate Kenny, Vice President, Head of Sector - Cities and Places, leads Jacobs’ Cities & Places business in Europe. Jacobs is tackling some of the toughest challenges in the built environment, embracing innovation to redefine a more connected, sustainable and inclusive future for communities. Whether it’s improving mobility and connectivity, or safeguarding the environment, Kate and her team are devising, designing and delivering solutions for cities and communities of the future. Kate’s team offers multi-scalar and integrated solutions across the built environment: including urban development, masterplanning, transport planning, architecture, structures and civils, building services and interior design.