Today, the list of Sweden's 100 most powerful people in terms of sustainability was released and we at Viable Cities are proud that both our program manager Olga Kordas and vice Chairman Anders Wijkman once again take place on the list, this time place 38 and place 18.
Several with links to Viable Cities are on the list. From the collaboration within the Climate Contract, we have Björn Risinger, Director General of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, and Johan L Kuylenstierna, Director General of Formas, a research council for sustainable development, and Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh, Chair of the Municipal Council of the City of Malmö and Johan Abrahamsson, Chair of the Municipal Council of Mariestad.
Among Viable Cities members, Sepehr Mousavi of SweGreen is on the list. Also on the list are Pia Sandvik of RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, who staffs the Viable Cities program office, and Svante Axelsson of Fossil Free Sweden.
- We need to change the way we talk about climate change. The prevailing narratives are either that technological solutions will save us from all evil, or that climate change means a worse quality of life than today. Neither of these narratives is true. We need systemic change in terms of regulations, behavior, governance, and technology. We need radical changes in our lifestyles. However, these changes will not lead to a poorer quality of life, but instead, in many cases, lead to better health, better security, etc. We also need deeper conversations about what quality of life means: what really makes people happy and joyful?
- Olga Kordas, Viable Cities Program Manager
