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Cool Cities: Urban Sovereignty and the Fix for Global Warming by [Benjamin R. Barber]

Cool Cities: Urban Sovereignty and the Fix for Global Warming Kindle Edition

by Benjamin R. Barber (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

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A pointed argument that cities—not nation-states—can and must take the lead in fighting climate change

Climate change is the most urgent challenge we face in an interdependent world where independent nations have grown increasingly unable to cooperate effectively on sustainability. In this book, renowned political theorist Benjamin R. Barber describes how cities, by assuming important aspects of sovereignty, can take the lead from faltering nation states in fighting climate change. Barber argues that with more than half the world's population now in urban areas, where 80 percent of both GDP and greenhouse gas emissions are generated, cities are the key to the future of democracy and sustainability.

In this compelling sequel to If Mayors Ruled the World, Barber assesses both broad principles of urban rights and specific strategies of sustainability such as fracking bans, walkable cities, above-ground mining of precious resources, energy and heating drawn from garbage incineration, downtown wind turbines, and skyscrapers built from wood. He shows how cities working together on climate change, despite their differences in wealth, development, and culture, can find common measures by which to evaluate the radically different policies they pursue. This is a book for a world in which bold cities are collaborating to combat climate change and inspire hope for democracy even as reactionary populists take over national governments in the United States and Europe. It calls for a new social contract among citizens and municipalities to secure not only their sustainability but their survival.

Print length

224 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Yale University Press
Publication date

April 24, 2017
File size

615 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Here [Barber] builds on themes that underpinned his 1995 bestseller, Jihad vs McWorld, arguing for more decentralised models of democracy that empower local organisations and give less weight to nation-states.”—Pilita Clark, Financial Times

"Cool Cities is a worthy sequel to If Mayors Ruled the World. Ben Barber shows how cities can and must lead on the climate crisis in the face of national drift and denial. The world is being remade from the bottom up."—Bruce Katz, Centennial Scholar, Brookings Institution

"Nation states have failed us; cities and mayors are the way forward. In this timely and important book, Benjamin Barber charts the way to the devolution and local empowerment that will save our planet and ensure further human progress."—Richard Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class

"Benjamin Barber’s book is an important and timely testimonial of the power of our cities, their governments, and their mayors to undertake the vital work of dramatically lowering our greenhouse gas emissions."—David Miller, former Mayor of Toronto, 2003-2010, and C40 Cities Chair, 2008-2010

“Ben Barber is the theoretician of a quiet revolution in global governance that is now breaking out of city halls and into the mainstream. Mayors and activists alike will be reading his new book to find out what is next.”—Mark Watts, Executive Director, C40

"Cool Cities is a worthy sequel to If Mayors Ruled the World. Ben Barber shows how cities can and must lead on the climate crisis in the face of national drift and denial. The world is being remade from the bottom up."—Bruce Katz, Centennial Scholar, Brookings Institution -- Bruce Katz

"Nation states have failed us; cities and mayors are the way forward. In this timely and important book, Benjamin Barber charts the way to the devolution and local empowerment that will save our planet and ensure further human progress."—Richard Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class -- Richard Florida

"Benjamin Barber’s book is an important and timely testimonial of the power of our cities, their governments, and their mayors to undertake the vital work of dramatically lowering our greenhouse gas emissions."—David Miller, former Mayor of Toronto, 2003-2010, and C40 Cities Chair, 2008-2010 -- David Miller

“Ben Barber is the theoretician of a quiet revolution in global governance that is now breaking out of city halls and into the mainstream. Mayors and activists alike will be reading his new book to find out what is next.”—Mark Watts, Executive Director, C40 -- Mark Watts

“In this cautionary and prescriptive volume, CUNY senior research scholar Barber (If Mayors Ruled the World) lays out a strong argument for civic engagement and personal responsibility in the ongoing fight against climate change. . . . Offering pragmatic ideas to solve complicated issues, Barber challenges readers to exert influence on their localities and gives them reasons to be hopeful.”—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review ― Publishers Weekly

“Here [Barber] builds on themes that underpinned his 1995 bestseller, Jihad vs McWorld, arguing for more decentralised models of democracy that empower local organisations and give less weight to nation-states.”—Pilita Clark, Financial Times -- Pilita Clark ― Financial Times Published On: 2017-06-10 --This text refers to the hardcover edition.

About the Author

Benjamin R. Barber is a distinguished senior fellow at the Fordham Law School Urban Consortium, the founder of the Global Parliament of Mayors, and the author of Jihad Versus McWorld,If Mayors Ruled the World, and other books. --This text refers to the hardcover edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B06XWXSDZD
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Yale University Press (April 24, 2017)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 24, 2017
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 615 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 0300224206
Lending ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #2,014,997 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #786 in Urban Planning & Development
- #929 in Sustainable Development Economics
- #2,681 in Sustainable Business Development

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mark

beautifully written by a visionary

Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2017

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Wonderfull vision for acting locally about climate change, and the urgent role of global cities as political ACTORS for real action, even as nation states wallow in reaction and traditional international systems continue to come up short. His parliament of mayors could practically expedite action now. Text is terse, full of detail, beautifully written by a visionary, who we have sadly lost before his time. I will profoundly miss Ben Barber and his thought. Read the book. You will hear his voice.

One person found this helpful

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Polestar Dad

A waste of your time

Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2018

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Like being on a carousel, same weakly documented information repeated multiple times in multiple chapters. Metrics offered have not been researched in depth, with errors. While the premise of a new type of governance model around linked cities is interesting, it is presented as a one liner in the last three pages of the book. Don't bother.

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A desperate technocrat's screed swaddled in radical fantasy to fight for the environment! (It is also a waste of time.)

Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2017

This book was suggested to me by a friend. It was not worth my time. While I agree the climate issue is a concern, this was simply a technocrats pipe dream, and is supported with dubious arguments and misrepresented facts. Consequently, I could only conclude the author's zeal to address climate change leads him to make several claims, which upon investigation are unfounded.

For example, Barber argues the sheer economic prowess of Philadelphia is evidence that cities should exert more influence. In fact, he claims Philly has a larger than Venezuela. I checked into this, and he is wrong. The Philly metro area has a larger economy, but that is not same as the city itself. Why? Well, the metropolitan region contains several counties, townships, and other municipalities that play a role in the regional economy from beyond the city's boundaries. I mention this example to illustrate the degree to which Barber's desire for action causes him to gloss over things when it supports his argument. He does this often, and the work suffers for it.

A great example of a shortcoming rests in his vision of the historical role of cities. For example, he cites the Magna Carta to justify the idea the English law supports cities as having prerogatives the nation cannot limit. What he does not mention is that this was in the context of Parliament limiting the power of the Crown over cities. This is an important fact because it does not support his argument that cities have power independent of the national government. Rather, it only shows that the legislative branch, as a result of representing the people, had the power to regulate cities. This does not lend support to this original idea, and again illustrates his sloppiness in support of his agenda.

He also introduces a radical vision of constitutional rights which advocates that city residents can abridge the Constitution when convenient or they simply decide to do so. This is problematic for two reasons. One, that is not how constitutional systems remain stable and viable into the future. All citizens must possess the same basic rights, which should only be changed by a process which is removed from being influenced by the tyranny of the majority. The majority, in his system, is the only arbiter of what is right. They are expected to make changes is in his system. As a result, there are no safe guards which would protect the minority from the majority of city dwellers. Thus, the social contract has no support.

It is also problematic because we are never clear to what majority he is referring when making these claims. The US is now a suburban country, in which suburbs exist separately from larger metro cities. He seems to include suburbs in the cities they surround. As a result, when he suggests cities should act to limit the rights of some it is not clear how this would be accomplished given that his vision of cities would include two very different type of residential environments comprised of very different citizens. He also focuses only on the positives of cities to serve as a foil to buffoonish and ignorant hamlets surrounding these heavenly cities. What he neglects to reflect upon is that the cities are home to some of the worst problems within the country, and may not be an improvement upon other communities.

This blind zeal to support his pipe dream is what caused me to question, and reject the book. It should do the same for you, if you are a fair minded person.

4 people found this helpful

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Bos&22

Informative

Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2018

While it lacks the depth of other urban sustainability studies, it does lay out the political issues that are real roadblocks. Since cities don't have those same roadblocks, Ben Barber displays a path for greater sustainability.

You can also see that it is a bit 'rushed' since it was completed just prior to Dr. Barber's death, but it still displays the same wit and idealism that Dr. Barber is known for.

One person found this helpful

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