Keynote Address by Mariana Mazzucato

Ladies and gentlemen, to kick off our inaugural conference for the keynote address, we are now honored to introduce today's keynote speaker for the day, Professor Mariana Mazzucato. There is little need for introduction for the uninitiated. Professor Mariana Mazzucato is one of the world's leading voices on the role of economic policy in driving innovation and delivering public value. As cities confront the cascading crises of biodiversity loss, climate instability, and water insecurity, Professor Mazzucato's work offers a critical lens through which to understand these interlinked challenges, not just as environmental issues, but as economic ones rooted in how we define and govern value. Her pioneering advocacy for mission-oriented innovation has reshaped global policy thinking, urging governments to lead with purpose, invest strategically, and design economies which are both inclusive and regenerative.

Today we explore how to restore urban biodiversity and build climate and water resilient cities. There is no one better positioned to challenge and inspire. Please join me all in welcoming Professor Mariana Mazzucato, professor in the economics of innovation and public value, founding director, Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose, IIPP, University College London, UCL, best-selling author of titles including Mission Economy: A Moonshot Guide to Changing Capitalism. She will be delivering her keynote address, a mission-oriented approach for putting biodiversity, climate, and water at the center of our economic systems. Professor, the floor is yours.