This report is a synthesis of the debate held with Peter Newman in the framework of the series of conferences "Facing climate change", organized by the Catalunya Europa Foundation in the context of the Re-City project. This session, entitled "The impact of cities on climate change: urban-rural nexus", consisted of a public conference, a seminar with participants from the Catalan academic field and a lunch-colloquium that brought together personalities of the economic, social, political and business sectors of Catalonia.