Future Cities
By 2050, the global urban population is expected to increase by 2.5 to 3 billion of which the majority of residents will live in small to medium sized cities in the developing world. There are few places where this demands as much attention as India as more urban growth is taking place in small to mid-sized cities. This changing trend in urbanization desperately warrants a shift in policy discourse towards growing mid-sized cities. Indian cities require new visions of the future to confront challenges of the 21st century.
Adaptation and Urban Resilience
Historical patterns of urban development in India have exacerbated both physical and social vulnerabilities that communities face due to threats from climate change. While resilient cities are a dominant discourse for tackling these risks, this narrative has prioritised technical responses, such as climate proofing infrastructure, over addressing social vulnerabilities. How can we reimagine community driven resilience solutions?
Low Carbon Pathways
Urbanisation is a major driver of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in India and across the globe. Besides generating GHGs from buildings and transportation, cities are recipients of goods and services, the production of which likely involves emissions elsewhere. India’s ability to transition to low carbon futures is essential to ensure the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and targets of the Paris Accord. How do we support cities in mitigating their emissions and transitioning to a low carbon future?
Digital Transformations
With the rise of the Smart Cities movement in India the deployment of digital infrastructures to solve complex urban challenges has been normalised. Digital technologies can help improve service provision, monitor development and even mitigate carbon emissions. However, without frameworks of responsibility, issues of equity, privacy and justice will be overlooked. How can cities champion inclusive innovation while critically examining the social dimensions of technological change?
Access and Inclusion
Processes of city making and urban planning have neglected the needs of marginalised communities. Inequities of caste, religion, and gender and income shape access to urban spaces. These inequities are often compounded and manifest in poor service provision, inadequate and segregated housing and even discrimination and violence against communities. How can we strengthen urban systems to make them accessible and inclusive for everyone?
Given the imminent and gargantuan nature of the challenge, this article draws from expert analyses to propose certain solutions that can be applied to urban cities, especially in the Global South.
On Saturday, June 8th, Transitions Research, along with the Goa Energy Development Authority (GEDA), conducted a visioning workshop for Panjim’s net-zero future. The purpose of this workshop was to co-create a shared vision for Net Zero Panjim in 2050 that reflects the views of its residents and key stakeholders. Through a series of interactive sessions and activities, participants engaged in creative exercises, discussions, and collaborative activities to explore different aspects of Panjim’s...
In this dialogue, we hope to delve into the question of adapting to rising temperatures - exploring the role of policy and heat adaptation plans in addressing the uneven impacts of heat in urban communities, as well as the role of cooling technologies, which demand massive energy consumption and compromise our ability to achieve mitigation goals.