This talk was given on December 1, 2009 as part of the MITEI Seminar Series. - Abstract - How can cities best position themselves in the green economy? What is the role of manufacturing in urban areas? How can a city best choose an economic development strategy given its size and unique economic history? How should federal policy support policy innovation among cities? Joan Fitzgerald shows how in the absence of a comprehensive national policy, cities like Chicago, New York, Portland, San Francisco, and Seattle have taken the lead in addressing the interrelated environmental problems of global warming, pollution, energy dependence, and social justice. Cities are major sources of pollution but because of their population density, reliance on public transportation, and other factors, Fitzgerald argues that they are uniquely suited to promote and benefit from green economic development. - About the Speaker - Joan Fitzgerald is the Director of the Law, Policy and Society Program at Northeastern University. Previously, Fitzgerald taught urban policy and public affairs at the New School University, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and Ohio State University. She specializes in urban economic development, urban sustainability planning, workforce development, and green economic development . The Emerald Cities project builds on her co-authored 2002 economic development book, Economic Revitalization: Strategies and Cases for City and Suburb, which examines how traditional economic development strategies can be used to promote more sustainable and equitable development. It also integrates questions raised in her second book, Moving Up in the New Economy (2006), which focuses on strategies for helping low-wage workers advance into better paying positions through skills upgrading. MITEI thanks CERA for its generous support of the Seminar Series.