India made global headlines during the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference as one of the first low-to-middle-income countries to commit to a net-zero target. As the country with the third highest greenhouse gas emissions in the world, comprising around 7% of emissions worldwide, reaching this target is a global priority.
But while the move was rightly lauded, much of the current climate conversation in India (and internationally) is a sectoral one, focusing on decarbonization in specific economic sectors: energy, transportation, agriculture, industry, and the like. But spatially, many of these transitions will come together in cities. After all, cities shape the demand that drives sectoral emissions. And over the next 30 years, low-to-middle-income countries will add thousands of kilometers of new urban infrastructure to accommodate the needs of 2 billion more people.
For both residents of these urban areas and the world, understanding the link between cities and decarbonization is crucial. Without intervention, livability in many cities in the Global South will only come through energy-intensive means, as things like air conditioning, cars, and private generators compete with vulnerable buildings, crowded streets, and unreliable power supplies.
So, how can countries facing rapid urbanisation manage their cities in a way that unlocks both the economic and environmental benefits of urban growth?
This essay was published in the Breakthrough Journal, you can access it here.
