Eleni (Lenio) Myrivili - The Fight for Livable Cities in a Warming World

The Century of Cities welcomes Eleni (Lenio) Myrivili, UN Chief Heat Officer working with UN-Habitat and the Arsht Rock Resilience Center of the Atlantic Council, as she tackles one of the most pressing challenges of our time: extreme heat. Lenio explains why cities are warming twice as fast as the planet and how this intensifies public health risks, especially for the most vulnerable. She shares the devastating urban heat island effect and its socioeconomic toll, urging cities to prioritize nature, water, and more innovative urban design to stay livable. Looking ahead, Lenio delivers a wake-up call on the rising global temperatures and the risk of uninhabitable cities by 2070. With over 200 major urban centers predicted to face unlivable conditions, her message is clear: we must act swiftly and boldly to redesign cities as havens of resilience and equity. This episode challenges us to confront climate realities head-on and rethink urban living for a sustainable future.