From FORESIGHT Climate & Energy, The Urban Report is a podcast that takes a close look at how cities around the world are transitioning to net-zero. Every two weeks, host Sean Carroll has in-depth conversations with some of the most interesting minds working on sustainability in the built environment today. From making local mobility greener to improving energy efficiency in buildings, there’s never been a better time to explore the climate transition from an urban perspective.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
From FORESIGHT Climate & Energy, The Urban Report is a podcast that takes a close look at how cities around the world are transitioning to net-zero. Every two weeks, host Sean Carroll has in-depth conversations with some of the most interesting minds working on sustainability in the built environment today. From making local mobility greener to improving energy efficiency in buildings, there’s never been a better time to explore the climate transition from an urban perspective.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Download our award-winning app and enjoy access to all exclusive features. Click here to access on Apple or Android.
Every year, millions of people from around the globe flock to the Spanish city of Barcelona to experience its sunny weather, world-famous architecture and delicious cuisine. By some estimates, the city receives around 32 million visitors annually, making it one of the most visited cities in Europe.
However, with this success comes significant challenges.
In addition to the strain millions of extra visitors place on public services, many apartments are being transformed into short-term rentals making it more difficult for locals to find a long-term place to live. The overall effect exacerbates housing affordability, an issue that has already pushed locals away from the city’s historic core.
While tackling this housing crisis, the city is also implementing measures to renovate its building stock. As well as reducing emissions, the city wants to ensure that the buildings in which people live and work remain cool in the face of increasingly regular and growingly extreme heatwaves.
One idea is to use tourism to help fund the city’s climate transformation, utilising a tax on tourists.
Barbara Pons Giner, the CEO of Barcelona Regional, a public strategic planning agency, joins the Urban Report to discuss Barcelona’s progress in building renovations, how the city is tackling short-term tourist rentals, and whether visitors and locals can live in harmony.
Editor’s note: this is the last episode of the Urban Report for 2024. A big thank you for listening over the past year! We look forward to continuing the conversation on decarbonising our urban areas in 2025.
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If you have any thoughts or questions about anything that has been discussed in this week’s episode, you can reach Sean at his X account: Sean Carroll
Follow us on X at @Foresight_CE or email us at: sean@foresightmedia.com.
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