In this 2030 Sustainable Sydney City Talk, New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin, City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP, Professor Tim Flannery and Professor Ed Blakely joined together for an evening of forward-thinking discussion on how all cities must plan for a sustainable future and take leadership in the global response to climate change.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore provided an overview of Sydney's response to climate change and the city's vision for a sustainable future - Sustainable Sydney 2030 - and the need for strong partnership between different tiers of government. Mayor Nagin shared lessons learnt from Hurricane Katrina and the unique opportunity to rebuild New Orleans using economic, cultural and socially sustainable principles.

Following their presentations, the two city leaders were joined by world-renowned conservationist and scientist Tim Flannery and leading urban policy scholar and US Studies Centre Professor Ed Blakeley for an informative discussion on the future of cities and the need for urgent action.

Mayor Nagin was guest of the US Studies Centre at the Centre's 2009 National Summit.