London mayor: Here's what we have in common with Chicago as we recover

This article was originally published in Crain's Chicago Business .

The world is facing a momentous challenge. The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed stark inequalities in economic fairness and social justice and had a significant impact on our businesses and livelihoods.

As the vaccine roll-out gathers momentum, there has never been a more important time for international cooperation and for cities like London and Chicago to work together to tackle a host of global issues. We are two like-minded, global cities, united in our shared values of openness, pluralism and progressive thinking.

The truth is, we cannot just "move on" from this crisis, or return to business as usual once it’s over. There are lessons we must learn. And these lessons are already guiding London’s plans for recovery as we put the values of equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of our policymaking for the future.

Today I’m joining elected leaders from around the world at Chicago’s Pritzker Forum on Global Cities to discuss how London, and other cities, can ensure women, disabled people, people of color and all of our communities can benefit from our economic recovery. If we reach beyond our political and geographic boundaries, we can set a trajectory that leads to more inclusive and sustainable economies, and a higher quality of life.

Of course, pursuing a more equitable future isn’t easy. It will be hard work and it will take time. But we owe it to our communities who have suffered and sacrificed so much over the last year to give it everything we’ve got.

I share Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s conviction that the better futures we envision for our cities require more than agreement among politicians. We need businesses, entrepreneurs, investors and researchers to take practical action to tackle shared challenges like the climate crisis, standing up to structural racism and the economic fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Over the past year many have recognized the moral and commercial imperatives they have to do so. I’m committed to supporting them as they play their part in this generational mission.

As two of the world’s leading tech hubs, London and Chicago are hotbeds for creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship. There is a clear opportunity for global tech cities to share insights and knowledge to advance inclusive growth across our communities and to strive for a global tech sector that benefits our societies.

In London, one in three residents was born in another country, and 300 languages are spoken on our streets. To our 55 ‘unicorns’ and other fast-growing companies, this is a talent pool and a wealth of experience to serve customers and help solve social, economic and environmental challenges.

That’s why I have recently launched the £1m Resilience Fund, calling on London’s innovators to drive forward the city’s recovery and supporting businesses to respond to some of our key challenges. It is crucial that we act now to help our cities emerge stronger from Covid-19, and to ensure we are more resilient to major shocks in the future.

Both Mayor Lightfoot and I are committed to more equitable neighborhoods and services. Chicago’s Invest South/West initiative— catalyzing new development in disinvested neighbourhoods—has clear echoes of The London Plan 2021, a framework I’ve just launched to guide London’s spatial development and my vision for Good Growth.

But not only must our recovery be inclusive, it must also be sustainable. London and Chicago are committed to being carbon-neutral cities. And through joint initiatives such as the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, both of us are working hand in hand with other major cities to deliver on the promise of the Paris Agreement and to promote the uptake of green technology and renewable energy.

The London-Chicago Data Alliance is also bridging innovation between Transport for London and Chicago’s City Tech Collaborative by sharing lessons from pilot projects, such as repurposing infrastructure to increase access to electric vehicle charging.

Ahead of the U.N. climate negotiations in the U.K. later this year, we’ve set a bold target of making London zero-carbon by 2030, supported by some of the most ambitious policies of any global city.

However, no one city can solve the climate emergency in isolation. It will require record investment and coordinated action from everyone—cities, businesses, national governments and communities—to truly address this existential threat.

I am confident that, by working together, global cities like London and Chicago can lead the charge in pursuing our common goal of a future where no one is left behind, where racial justice and gender equality are secured, and where our cities are truly able to flourish and thrive.

Read the article at Crain's Chicago Business .