Sustainability: Resilience in Toronto

Contributions are being made to tackle climate change on a scale. From government commitments, to corporate CEOs releasing their yearly carbon reduction targets. Though with every new promise for a better and brighter future, our present day news reports parts of the world working desperately to suppress major climate shocks. Today, we’re honing in on the topic of climate action and how Toronto can remain a resilient city in the future to come. Former Chief Resilience Officer Elliot Cappell will bring us up to speed on Toronto’s resilience strategy, while our second guest professor John Robinson will go beyond resilience to address the multifaceted components that are integral to Torontos’ future as a sustainable city.

Guests:

Elliott Cappell plays a principal role in tackling climate change through multiple lenses. He currently holds the title as National Climate Change Leader and Partner of PwC Canada. Based in Toronto, Elliot is an ESG and Net Zero leader, advising TSX-60 companies, global investors, and international investors on climate risk, decarbonisation, and climate strategy. Elliott’s technical areas of focus are climate strategy, resilience and Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures. Prior to joining PwC, Elliott participated in the Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities, helping cities worldwide build resilience to the physical, social, and economic challenges that are a growing part of the 21st century. Elliot acted as Chief Resilience Officer for the City of Toronto from 2017-2019.

John Robinson is a professor at the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and the School of the Environment. He is an honorary professor with the Institute for Resources, Environment & Sustainability at the University of British Columbia, and adjunct professor with Copenhagen Business School. He currently serves as U of T's Presidential Advisor on the Environment, Climate Change and Sustainability.Professor Robinson's research focuses on the intersection of climate change mitigation, adaptation and sustainability; the use of visualization, modelling and citizen engagement to explore sustainable futures; sustainable buildings and urban design; the role of the university in contributing to sustainability; creating partnerships for sustainability with non-academic partners; and generally, the intersection of sustainability, sociology and technological change, behaviour change and the community engagement process.

Producers:

Nikoo Tajdolat - Junior Producer

Keyi Liu - Junior Producer