How do we make cities truly climate-neutral, according to science?

In this episode, Marine Cornelis welcomes Giulia Ulpiani, a Scientific Project Officer at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, who is at the forefront of urban climate adaptation and mitigation.

With a background in applied physics and energy efficiency, Giulia’s career has spanned building optimisation, urban overheating, and now large-scale climate governance. She shares her fascinating journey—from becoming a drone pilot in Australia to studying how cities can cool down and reduce emissions.

Now supporting the EU’s 100 Climate Neutral and Smart Cities Mission, Giulia explains the biggest barriers cities face in reaching net zero and why climate governance is often as complex as thermodynamics! She also dives into the role of trust, storytelling, and public engagement in ensuring climate policies translate into real action.

Key Takeaways:
✅ From Buildings to Cities: Giulia's journey from smart building optimisation to tackling urban overheating in Australia.
✅ The Power of Implementation: Why local projects—like greening school streets—are crucial in winning hearts and minds.
✅ Breaking Down Barriers: Cities struggle with funding, fragmented responsibilities, and bureaucratic inertia—but collaborative governance models and new financing approaches offer hope.
✅ Science and Storytelling: Climate science needs compelling narratives and trusted messengers to drive action.
✅ Empowering the Next Generation: The future of climate action lies in young leaders and community ambassadors.

Energ' Ethic goes out every other week.

Keep up to date with new episodes straight from your inbox

Reach out to Marine Cornelis via BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/marinenextenerg.bsky.social or LinkedIn
Music: I Need You Here - Kamarius
Edition: Podcast Media Factory 

Support Energ'Ethic on Patreon https://patreon.com/Energethic

© Next Energy Consumer, 2025

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.