From the kitchen table at AMS Institute Kenneth Heijns, Managing Director at AMS Institute, and Sacha Stolp, Director Future-Proof Assets for the City of Amsterdam - will be hosting this weekly podcast and explore solutions to urban challenges. Solutions further down the road, and solutions that can be scaled-up tomorrow. Together with thinkers and doers, they discuss what should be on the agenda of every mayor. With the podcast, we aim to inspire you and other thinkers and doers to accelerate global urban transitions.

We discuss major urban challenges and transitions such as: how do we move towards a circular city, what is the path to a safe digital city, which innovations already exist for our current mobility system and who will make our city climate-proof?

Video special - first episode Mayor’s Manual - The role of leadership in urban transitions

Listen to the Mayor's Manual podcast

Go to our website: www.mayorsmanual.org or find us on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

“Let us immerse ourselves in the mass of people and learn from each other, share knowledge, be optimistic, trust and cooperate. Because we can not only learn from nature. We can also do that from technology, from each other, and from one of the greatest technical achievements that people are capable of: building fine, ingenious and sustainable cities.”

Sacha Stolp

Director of innovation

“Once you truly feel the scale, scope and speed at which we need to transform our cities, then it is clear we need to act now and act together. With the Mayor’s Manual we have conversations with thinkers and doers, on the best ideas, brightest talent and unusual partnerships to speed up and scale up the transition.”

Kenneth Heijns

Former Managing Director at AMS Institute

Episode #36 | Biodiversity in the city: the city as habitat

Geert Timmermans (landscape architect and urban ecologist at Gemeente Amsterdam) and Marco Roos (urban biodiversity biologist at Naturalis) tell us about the state of biodiversity in the city.

Which species of flora and fauna choose the city as their habitat and how many species are there now in Amsterdam? Do these species now prefer the city to the countryside and can they achieve their '3V finches' here? And what action is being taken to further increase biodiversity in the city? - Does the handbook Nature-inclusive Building & Design (handboek Natuurinclusief Bouwen & Ontwerpen) contribute to this? And do we dare to let nature in the city be more of a mess?

No more smooth lawns or carefully arranged flowerbeds, but lawns filled with an indigenous jumble of species, mud puddles, and insect-friendly sprawling verges will form the future cityscape.

A complete podcast on biodiversity, from Randstad to global trends, from the fungi in the soil to the peregrine falcon in the bell tower of the Rijksmuseum.

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #35 | Our soil in motion - the history and decline of our urban subsurface

This week we discuss the history of the urban subsurface and the issue of subsidence with archaeologist Ranjith Jayasena and geologist Gilles Erkens.

Subsidence is a current problem with a history as old as the cities that experience it. The city of Amsterdam will soon celebrate its 750th anniversary, a great time to delve into the history of the subsurface and look ahead to future subsidence. With Ranjith Jayasena, senior archaeologist attached to Monuments and Archaeology of the City of Amsterdam and with Gilles Erkens, geologist and expert on subsidence and delta at Deltares, we will discuss the leading role water and soil have in the development of the city and how we should deal with this.

We get a master class on the history of soil and take the first step towards finding solutions to this age-old problem that seems to have no end. How did the first inhabitants of Amsterdam deal with the declining soil, what do we know about our subsurface and what should we do with dipsticks and polystyrene? You'll hear it all in episode 35 of the Mayors Manual.

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Special @ AMS Conference | Reinventing the City - Urban Development and the timescale of interventions

This year the Mayor’s Manual joined the Reinventing the City conference of AMS Institute for innovative insights and fascinating conversations. We spoke to the attending frontrunners about their solutions for urban challenges and their part in reinventing the city. 

In our first episode we explored the nature-technology dichotomy that appears to exist when discussing urban solutions. This second episode features a researcher, a lead government advisor and two directors with whom we explore different approaches to urban development and the timescale of interventions. You’ll hear from Bas van Vliet, who researches households as focus points for integral solution finding, from Wouter Veldhuis, who provides insight into the long history and slow future of cities, from Carolien Gehrels on the stacking of urban layers to create space for cities’ key players, and Emiel Reiding on building metaphorical bridges and breaking down walls.     

And, you’ll hear us, the Mayors Manual Editors, taking it all in and sharing some insights ourselves.

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #34 | One plus one is six - combining functions to create space

This week Gijsbert Cirkel and Joris Voeten are our guests, with whom we discuss how cleverly combining functions can lead to better results.

How do you turn one square meter into three square meters and one liter of drinking water into three liters? Gijsbert is practice-oriented researcher at KWR, Joris is practice-oriented researcher nature-based solutions at WUR and both are involved in a number of impressive and innovative projects in the urban context. Together they give us a better understanding of opportunities for sustainable use of space in the city.

From parking lots to sports fields, from trees to roofs, no urban surface is left unaddressed or unused. An episode full of wisdom such as: "not everything can go on every roof, but on every roof something can", "the difference between an idea and an innovation is doing it", and "water is gold".

But much more than that, in fact, cannot be summed up in one sentence. So, starting today, listen to episode #34 of the Mayor's Manual on all major channels.

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Special @ AMS Conference | Reinventing the City - Nature-based or High tech?

This year the Mayor’s Manual joined the Reinventing the City conference of AMS Institute for innovative insights and fascinating conversations. We spoke to the attending frontrunners about their solutions for urban challenges and their part in reinventing the city. 

In this first of four episodes we take a closer look at High-tech and Nature Based Solutions. 

Is one of these more likely to accelerate urban transitions? Or can they support each other, and should we seek out smart combinations? You’ll hear from Ard van de Kreeke, who combines Nature Based and high-tech solutions in his vertical farm Growy, Gabriela Corbera, who aims to accelerate circular transitions through her mixed reality game Circular Play, Pablo van der Lugt, who is in favor of building with nature and biophilic design and has the facts to support his story and Rudy Janssens, representative for Belgian technology companies who believes strongly in Nature Based Solutions.

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #32 | The future of our environment: the link between emotions, long-term thinking, and interventions in our environment

In this episode we speak with Wouter Veldhuis and Anneleen Arno.

Wouter is an urban planner and architect and a partner at MUST, an urban planning firm that focuses on the development of a just living environment. In addition, he is a member of the College of Government Advisors that advises the government on current spatial social issues.

Anneleen is an associate professor at Radboud University, specializing among other things in the history of emotion and consumption. Her research focuses, among other things, on the impact of major change in cities such as Amsterdam, Paris and London on the emotional bond between city dwellers and their environment.

The starting point of our conversation is the dynamics of interventions in different layers of our living environment. Are we currently weighing up which changes to the subsurface, our networks and immediate living environment have priority? Lack of knowledge about the emotional experience of interventions and an emphasis on the short term seem to lead to hasty choices and quick fixes. How do we keep a long-term view at a time when speed of action and integrated solutions are priorities?

Listen in this week to learn more about the connection between emotions, long-term thinking and interventions in our environment.

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #31 | Transitions and the Sustainable Development Goals - What do we need in order to do everything differently?

In this episode, we speak to Bertus Tulleners and Mara de Pater.

Bertus is a partner at The RockGroup, a consulting firm that helps organizations take a proactive role in the transition to a sustainable economy and society. He is also an entrepreneur, university lecturer and trainer.

Mara is a researcher and consultant at DRIFT, an agency for research, advice and education on transitions. She is also co-founder and president of the NGO Jongeren voor Duurzaam Reizen.

We speak to Bertus and Mara about transitions and the role that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can play in them. What does a transition actually entail, what does it mean for our society and how do you ensure faster change? How should we deal with the chaos of total change, do we have any influence on it, do we have the same perspective for action and, who is 'we' anyway?

A conversation where we discuss multiple corners of change and the usefulness of goals. Listen this week to learn more about why transitions are a thing of the past and how you can better understand your role in them.

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #30 | Ecosystems in construction - a much-needed first step?

In this episode, we speak with Leentje Volker and Malcolm Aalstein.

Leentje is Professor of Integrated Project Delivery at the University of Twente. In her research she focuses on improving the realization and management of physical infrastructure and improving the interaction between people and technology. In her research, networks and the interaction between actors in networks play an important role.

Malcolm is strategic advisor Market & Procurement at the engineering firm of the City of Amsterdam. In his role, he is involved in developing the collaboration between the municipality and its partners. Thinking in terms of networks and interactions between actors also plays a major role in his work.

From their expertise we will discuss ecosystem thinking. What do we mean by this exactly, how can it help to boost the innovative capacity of the infrastructure sector and solve wicked problems and what is the difference between ecosystem thinking and project-based thinking?

Listen in this week to learn more about thinking in networks and what that might mean for the future of the built environment.

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #29 | The asphalt of the future is already here, the clients just aren't yet

Sandra is a professor of applied civil engineering at TU Delft. She is an expert in the field of pavement materials and structures and in particular in the field of asphalt concrete.

Rien works as a research & development manager at the asphalt producer AsfaltNu. Prior to his current position, he worked as an associate professor at TU Delft, where he received his PhD in road construction.

We discuss the future of our asphalt and the hurdles we still have to overcome before we can actually roll out sustainable, circular asphalt in the Netherlands. We will discuss how mayors can use their purchasing power to change the asphalt market and stimulate innovations. What requirements can a client set to achieve sustainability and circularity goals and how do we ensure that different parties speak the same language when measuring quality?

Listen in this week to learn more about the bulk asphalt product and the innovations that can be a model for other transitions.

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #28 | Vulnerability and Quay Walls - working together on a new form of collaboration.

This week we speak to Merijn Buist and Edwin Boonstoppel. Edwin works as director and project manager at Quadraat Projectmanagement. He is currently active, among other things, as project leader of the G-Kracht consortium, a combination of three companies that is working on an innovative way to replace quay walls within the Innovation partnerschap quay walls of the Municipality of Amsterdam. Merijn works as a technical manager at the engineering office of the municipality of Amsterdam. In this role, he has been involved in the Quay Walls Innovation Partnership since the beginning, where he is responsible, among other things, for the collaboration between G-Kracht and the Municipality of Amsterdam.

Together we discuss the conditions for successful cooperation within an extensive, intensive and above all unknown tendering procedure such as the Innovation Partnership. For example, is it important to break with more traditional processes, what is the importance of core values ​​and how does vulnerability help project teams to come closer together?

Listen this week to learn more about the usefulness of a truly equal relationship in a collaboration aimed at developing an innovative product.

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #27 | A Look at the Wheelhouse of a City in the Water

This week we speak with Tessa Hilgers and Maarten Ouboter. Tessa works as a strategic advisor on administrative matters for the Bridges and Quay Walls Program of the Municipality of Amsterdam. Among other things, creating attention for the short and long-term task plays an important role in this. Maarten is a hydrologist at waternet - a title that does not fully reflect the diversity of his work. One of his goals is cleaner water in Amsterdam and the surrounding area. He does this, among other things, by mapping the environment of the city in such a way that decisions can be quantitatively substantiated.

With Maarten and Tessa we talk about the various extensive tasks that the water city of Amsterdam has been struggling with for centuries and for which the coming years will be decisive. What can we learn from the past, how do you ensure administrative attention for an unpopular subject such as management and how do you make the right choice about diverse, complex and urgent challenges if this choice can still determine the liveability of the city in 100 years' time?

Listen this week to learn more about the ins and outs of a water city below sea level.

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #26 | Water and Urban Development - Taking notes from Copenhagen (Eng.)

This episode was produced for the Amsterdam International Water Week. Our guest this week is Lykke Leonardes. Lykke is head of the resilient and sustainable city of Copenhagen program.

This program consists of a climate mitigation and adaptation strategy, as well as an international strategy. We talk about the approach Copenhagen has taken towards climate adaptation and what lessons learned can be shared with other cities. Curious what changes can be made to business models change in order to implement innovative solutions for blue and green infrastructures, who is responsible for the payment of the innovation in Copenhagen and how they made a dynamic adaptation plan that fits within the dynamics of the city?

Listen in this week to learn how Copenhagen created an adaptive strategic action plan that helps to create water infrastructures for a future-proof and climate-adaptive city.

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #25 | Room for innovation - How do you create that?!

This week Sarah Bork and Joost Assendelft are guests. Sarah is head of innovation at the Bridges and Quay Walls program of the Municipality of Amsterdam. Here she leads a team that is involved in innovation and development in the field of testing, extension of lifespan, monitoring & sensoring and logistics movements. Joost works as a geodata team leader at Iv-infra. Here he is working on, among other things, a new technique for monitoring assets using 3D laser scanning. Among other things, we talk about the possibilities that data-driven working offers for innovation within urban tasks. What opportunities does laser scanning offer, how do you create a “safe zone” for innovation within a regular contract and how do we get traditional companies to 'innovate'?

Listen this week to learn more about the inspirational power of innovations and how they can be applied in practice through collaboration between the market and government.

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #24 | Data-Driven working - new craftsmanship for a live-able city

This week our guests are Tanaquil Arduin and Henk de Jong. Tanaquil is Chief Data Officer and head of the Expertise Center Data and AI at the Municipality of The Hague. From these functions, Tanaquil is, among other things, responsible for the realization and implementation of a city-wide data strategy and vision on data-driven working. Henk is CEO at PBLQ, a consultancy specifically focused on advising in public organizations. He describes himself as a civil servant in general service who has gained extensive experience over the years in the Dutch, European and American public sector as a civil servant, consultant and entrepreneur.

We talk about data-driven working, the craftsmanship needed to work 'correctly and effectively' with data, where the digital transition can take us and whether data-driven working is an end in itself or a means of creating liveable cities.

Curious about what should be in every mayor's handbook according to these two experts? Then listen to the Mayor's Manual episode 24 this week!

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #23 | The Energy Transition | Do all lights stay on?

This week we speak with Naut Loots and Maarten Klein Geltink. Naut is a strategic advisor in the field of energy and sustainability at the engineering office of the Municipality of Amsterdam. Recently, he has worked on the Theme Study Electricity Amsterdam 2.0, published this year, in which fundamental changes that must be made to the Amsterdam energy network in the coming years have been identified.Maarten is business development manager at Hedgehog Applications, a company that focuses on capturing and storing braking energy from rail transport such as trains and metros for electrical applications.

We discuss the challenges that the rapidly increasing demand for energy poses for Amsterdam and other large cities. What is possible to create a suitable offer, what solutions are already available, how do we test new ways of energy generation, storage and distribution and are these developments fast enough?

Curious about what should be in every mayor's handbook according to Naut and Maarten? Then listen to Mayor's Manual episode 23 this week!

If you want to know more about the LIFE Platform, visit the website here.

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #22 | Digital Twins - the next step in digital transformation?

This week we talk to Martijn van Gog and Mark Haaksman about digital twins of cities, virtual representations that can serve as digital counterparts to the physical city. Martijn is a work planner at the engineering office of the municipality of Amsterdam and co-developer of NLCS, the CAD standard of the Dutch civil engineering sector, and of 3d.amsterdam.nl, a website where you can find a 3d model of the city of Amsterdam. Mark is senior manager business development digital cities at Royal Haskoning DHV. Here he works on the digital transformation with special attention to the resilience of the city.

What is a digital twin when we talk about cities, what applications do we see and expect, what role can this new technology play in digital transformation and what is needed to adopt it on a large scale?

Curious about what should be in the mayor's handbook this week according to our guests? Then listen to the Mayor's Manual episode 22 this week.

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #20 | Circularity - the circular city is (not) a local story.

This week we are talking to Hanneke van der Heijden and Joke Dufourmont about the circular city. Hanneke is a strategic advisor at Rotterdam Circulair. Here, as an anthropologist and expert in the field of circularity, she is committed to transitions in four key sectors - construction, food flows, consumer goods and healthcare. Joke is program developer for circularity in urban regions at AMS institute. Here she pays particular attention to just circularity as a systemic solution to achieve human prosperity within planetary boundaries.

We discuss the obstacles of the current system and the opportunities and risks associated with the transition to a circular economy. What incentives are there to promote this transition, why do we need to decouple financial value from the value of products and are we looking at reuse in the right way?

Curious about what should be in every mayor's handbook according to these two experts in the field of circularity? Then listen to the Mayor's Manual episode 20 this week!

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #18 | Urban Food Systems - How to feed a growing city?

This week we talk to Sem Roefs and Thera Rohling about urban food systems. Sem is a city farmer and director at 'Mijn Stadstuin'. Here he develops solutions for problems in our current food system together with agricultural entrepreneurs and Amsterdammers. Thera is program director at Sustainable Urban Delta Foundation and business developer at Priva with over 10 years of experience in horticultural systems. She is committed to healthy, local and sustainable urban food production with an eye for people, the city and the urban environment.

We discuss our current food system and the transition that needs to take place. What is wrong with our current way of producing and consuming and should we produce on a larger scale or on a smaller scale? How do you ensure a balanced urban diet and what could an alderman for food do for this quest?

Listen this week to learn more about the shortcomings and opportunities for food production in and around cities.

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #17 | Urban Transitions - Inclusive citizen engagement (Eng.)

This week's episode is made specifically to help you make European cities reach their target of becoming climate neutral by 2030 through inclusive citizen engagement. Our guests are Leonie van den Beuken and Alexandra Almaral.

Leonie is program director at Amsterdam Smart City, an expert in creating inclusiveness in citizen engagement initiatives and driven by the opportunity to create and facilitate sustainable solutions. Alexandra is founder of the Shift Initiative, an expert on belonging, engagement and inclusiveness with a keen focus and enthusiasm for cross-cultural behavioral insights and human transformation.

Together we discuss how we can create inclusive change. Change that gives a true feeling of belonging, includes all voices and takes into account human behaviour throughout transitions. We discuss how we can create acceptance, the right mindset and a common language necessary for change.

Listen this week to learn more about the topic of change from the perspective of acceptance and inclusion. Find out more about the European event ‘100 Climate Neutral Cities in Europe by 2030, here.

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #16 | Urban subsoil - an infarct in the making?

This week we are talking to two experts in the field of our underground surface, Lidwien Besselink and Ernst Klaver. Lidwien is a senior consultant on the underground surfaces at the engineering office of the municipality of Amsterdam. Here she works as project leader of the Strategic Exploration of the Underground surface, initiator of the 'the collateral' working group and member of the Linking Opportunities project to encourage deeper thinking. She wants to inspire people to think more about the underground surface of the city and all designs.

Ernst is a sustainable water management consultant at Wavin, specializing in the underground infrastructure for the processing of water. He is involved in the Amsterdam Rainproof project in which, among other things, he is committed to an integrated approach between the various departments of the Municipality of Amsterdam.

We discuss the state of our underground infrastructure and what that means for all future ambitions. How can we properly put together the 3D puzzle of the underground infrastructure, how do all interests and ambitions receive the correct, integral attention and what is the correct effect on the 'total cost of ownership'?

Listen this week to learn more about the spaghetti of cables and pipes in our underground surface and what integrated solutions are possible.

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #15 | Sustainable Urban Development - The art of seeing the bigger picture

This week we speak to Amber Huizinga and Jorine Noordman. Amber is Head of Development at Aedes real estate, where she combines her interest in complex and sustainable projects with her vision on the positive effects of long-term strategies. As a project developer, she emphasizes the importance of involvement from investment to management in order to convert ambitious long-term visions into results. Jorine is a specialist in nature-inclusive building of a team for water, greenery and (living) environment at the engineering office of the Municipality of Amsterdam. In her daily work she advises projects and area developers on nature-inclusive design and development, in which the interests of humans, animals and plants are represented. She uses her specific knowledge from urban planning to ecology to realize a nature-inclusive city.

We discuss the barriers that must be overcome when moving from a short-term to a long-term vision, why ambitions do not translate well into situations with shared responsibilities and divergent interests and whether it is time to advocate for a sustainability warehouse at municipalities.

Listen this week to learn more about long-term strategies for sustainable and nature-inclusive development in the built environment. Curious about the Mannoury project? Then look at www.mannoury.nl. If you want to know more about the approach of the municipality of Amsterdam to nature-inclusive construction, visit the page Nature-inclusive construction manual - openresearch.amsterdam

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #14 | Urban forestry - Trading glass, concrete and stone for wood, soil and leaves in the built environment (Eng.).

Our guests this week are Paco Bunnik and Stefano Boeri.
Paco works as a lead urban designer for the department of Planning & Sustainability of the Municipality of Amsterdam. Here he focuses on integral urban planning and regeneration of districts for a future proof Amsterdam. Stefano is an Italian architect and urban planner, founder of Stefano Boeri Architetti. He is well known for his pioneering work in urban forestry design for high-rise buildings and city districts.

We have a conversation about the new public image and bold statement needed for a proper valuation of green ecosystems in the built environment, the positive impact urban forestry has on inhabitants and the necessity for storytelling when radically reenvisioning our shared surroundings. How do we build green cities when the demand for renovation and maintenance is greater than the demand for newly built green buildings?

Listen in this week to learn more about urban forestry and how we can make integrated green in buildings a standard outcome and not a unique request.

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #13 | Discussing values, long term visions and trust (Eng.)

Our guests this week are Lindsey Ogston and Jan Jorrit Hasselaar. Lindsey is Environmental Stewardship Coordinator at Tsleil Waututh Nation, Vancouver Canada.
Tsleil-Waututh Nation is a progressive leader in First Nations economic development, with multiple businesses, partnerships and strategies to acquire and manage wealth for current and future generations. Jan Jorrit is an economist & public theologian. He is the Coördinator at the Centre for Religion and Sustainable Development at VU University and part of the Dominican Study Center for Theology and Society.

Lindsey and Jan Jorrit tell us about the role safe spaces can play in the search for strong, shared values and long time lines and in helping us create and strengthen relationships between people, even if they strongly disagree. Furthermore we talk about the importance of trust and how it can help us accelerate urban transitions.

Learn more about the Tsleil-Waututh community and their values here & about the Centre for Religion and Sustainable Development here!

Find this episode on Apple Podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #11 | Nature-based solutions: How tradition can meet innovation (Eng.)

Our guests this week are Melina Scholefield (Manger of the Green Infrastructure Implementation) and Tim van Hattum (Program Leader of Green Climate Solutions at WUR). Melina and her team are leading the City’s ambitious Rain City Strategy, a cross-departmental green rainwater infrastructure and urban rainwater management initiative. Tim van Hattum and his team created a map of the Netherlands in 2120 based on the narrative of large scale implementation of nature-based solutions. We have a conversation about the importance of revaluing rainwater as a resource, the implementation proces of nature-based solutions and how this can be visualized to the public. We discuss different questions, such as: How can innovations like nature-based solutions be linked to personal values and traditions and what challenges arise when implementing these solutions?

Listen in this week to learn about Nature Based Solutions and how we can scale up their implementation. See for yourself how green the Netherlands can look 2120here!

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #10 | New York City – Strengthening urban resilience in response to climate change (Eng.)

In this new episode of the Mayor’s Manual podcast, we talk to Daniel Zarrilli, the Chief Climate Policy Advisor of New York City. Daniel worked on the Green New Deal, which should prepare New York City for the consequences of climate change. It’s a good example of a coastal city that faced its vulnerability, with Hurricane Sandy. This event was a turning point for the climate policy. It resulted in a more future-oriented approach in which they critically looked to the future, to know what climate-related events are coming and what they can do about it. Together with Daniel, we talk about the importance of both climate and social resilience in order to tackle those future challenges. The questions that we will discuss are: What is the importance of a strong democracy for the fights against climate change? And what are the best practices that came out of these projects that should be shared with other mayors?

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #9 | Residential cooperative the Warren - an affordable community for all living things

This week a conversation with and about housing cooperative the Warren. Chandar is a sustainability consultant at Metabolic and creator and co-founder of the Warren. Boris is an architect, founder of architectural firm Natrufied, specializing in nature inclusive design and architect for the Warren. Carried on by a group of 50 enthusiastic stakeholders, the Warren will be a nature-inclusive residential building with 36 social and middle rented homes in Amsterdam. Boris and Chandar will take you through the ups and downs of setting up a housing cooperative, the creation of a nature inclusive design, and a democratic decision-making strategy. Listen in this week to learn more about an innovative kind of ownership of sustainable, affordable real estate for the urbanites of today and tomorrow.

For more information about this project and natrufied, check out the Warren's website: https://dewarren.co or at https://www.natrufied.nl/

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #6 | The energy transition - an artist's view of value creation, ownership, use and democracy.

In this episode, we discuss examples of and new ideas about value creation, ownership and use. We discuss the importance of democratizing the energy transition and learn how an artist's perspective can contribute to this.

This week's guests are Reinier Bosch and Pallas Agterberg. Reinier is co-owner of studio Solarix, an artist and fascinated by design that adds more than just looks. Pallas is a Challange officer at Alliander and an artist with an innovative view on the social side of technological solutions.

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #5 | The mobility transition - a connecting problem

In this sixth podcast, we discuss challenges and solutions related to the mobility transition. Specifically, we will discuss the modes of transport of the future, public transport, the impact of corona on our travel behavior, and the opportunities it offers. We also discuss the possibilities of transport by water and why the government and public parties should invest in the digitalization.
Listen to this week to get an idea of some of the main challenges and corresponding solution directions that are important within the mobility transition in cities.

Our guests this week are Stephan van Dijk (Director of Innovation of AMS Institute) and Niels van Oort (Co-director of the Smart Public Transport Lab of the TU Delft).

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #3 | Urban food system - short chains and robot farmers

Our guests this week are Dr. Alexander Laarman (Business Developer at Wageningen University & Research, AMS Institute and Nexteconomy.nu) and Ard van de Kreeke (founder and manager GROWx).

With them, we discuss changes in the urban food system. How is the transition to urban food production and circular agriculture going and what does the urban farmer of the future look like? Listen this week to learn more about the future of urban food production.

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #2 | Scaling-up innovation - can be done better!

This week, Bas van Beers is our guest at the Mayor's Manual podcast to discuss how we can accelerate scaling up innovative solutions. Bas is founding partner at FRINGE.

According to Bas it's good to be inspired by examples from abroad and to not strive for profit maximization in new business cases, but for a simple, net return.

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.

Episode #1 | Taking Leadership in Urban transition

In this episode we talk to Orbia CEO Daniel Martínez-Valle, AMS institute scientific director Eveline van Leeuwen and Brian Schmitt from RESILIO and Metropolder company about the challenges they see and in which direction we should seek solutions.

Find this episode on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify.