Marc Olefs - Rising Temperatures, Rising Stakes: A Call for Global Action

Marc Olefs, a leading climate scientist and Head of Climate Impact Research at Geosphere Austria, joins us on The Century of Cities to explain the intricate links between climate change and urbanization. From the cooling effects of aerosols in the 1980s to the intensifying impacts of greenhouse gases, Marc explores pivotal shifts in the Earth's climate and their profound implications for urban environments. He highlights how clean air measures inadvertently accelerated warming, creating a global turning point. With their heat islands and dense populations, cities are both the battlegrounds and laboratories for climate solutions. Marc shares the strategies necessary to achieve net-zero emissions. He emphasizes the urgent need for global action, with over 2 billion people at risk of displacement due to climate change. Cities, he explains, are central to this transformation, balancing resilience and opportunity to secure a sustainable future.