Climate changing our cities

India emerged as a global leader at the forefront of the Climate Change Agreement and has pledged to seek sustainable development and smart solutions for the future. This is further reinforced in India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) that says that there can indeed be a reconciliation between economic development and the state of the environment, as opposed to the rapid development of many countries in the past that came at the cost of the environment. Thus, it is crucial that we rethink and redefine development and pave the way towards a sustainable and resilient economy.

While there are many initiatives such as Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), Smart City Mission, Swachh Bharat, etc., which are moving in the right direction and taking shape, resilient cities are the need of the hour. Urban cities in India on the other hand, are marked with traffic congestion, air pollution, rising greenhouse gas emissions, poor public health, poor waste and water management, etc. All this is a reflection of the struggle that urban centres in India are facing.  

Inadequate city planning, lack of reliant infrastructure and poor services have also resulted in a rise of diseases such as chikungunya and dengue which have severely affected public health or urban citizens in India. Air pollution is another rising menace—the Delhi Pollution Control Committee’s data showed that the concentration of PM2.5 (particles less than or 2.5 micrometers in diameter) peaked at a whopping 883 micrograms per cubic metre post-Diwali this year.

As India stands on the threshold of a major transformation, bringing new opportunities to its 1.3 billion people, adequate energy supply will also be crucial which will translate into higher demand for electricity. As the Paris agreement on climate change also enters into force, India has the obligation to hold global warming to no more than 2C above pre-industrial levels. The importance of a cleaner fuel at this stage cannot be stressed enough.

The government has taken several steps in this regard to encourage the transition to a low-carbon economy. Renewable sector and the gas industry in India have witnessed reasonable growth in terms of demand over the last few years. However, this growth has been uneven with the renewable sector growing by 13.7 per cent while natural gas has shrunk and fallen below the previous year consumption. In contrast, coal has grown by 4.8 per cent while oil has grown by an astounding 8.1 per cent. One major roadblock in India is the lack of a single central body that is responsible for energy policy and regulatory affairs which results in inconsistencies for sub-sectors, i.e, coal, oil, electricity and gas. This highlights the need for a single central body for energy policy that encourages the right balance of fuel mix by incentivizing the overall fiscal and policy framework.  

Moreover, renewable energy in its current state has not been able to meet the peaking demands of energy. Solar or wind energy is heavily dependent on weather conditions for its source of power. Such an intermittent and unpredictable supply of energy will not be able to meet the demand during peaking hours. Another disadvantage of renewable energy is that it is difficult to generate power as large as those generated by traditional energy sources. The answer here is not to pick one source of energy over another. Instead, it is vital to recognize the role that different fuels can play at different stages.  

Since targets of renewables are quite stretched, next alternative is to switch from high carbon emitting fossil fuels to lower ones. For instance, natural gas can absorb the infirm renewable energy and consequently, provide support during peaking hours. This would not just ensure in efficient use of energy from all sources but will also meet the drawbacks of renewable power generation. As per data on GHG emissions and primary energy consumption by fuel type, natural gas results in 60 per cent lesser emission for CO2e (equivalent) for the same level of energy consumption as compared to coal. Moreover, it is quite versatile and can be used in process industries and transport.  

A transition to a renewables and gas-based economy will also require the participation of private players in the fray to boost investment and promote PPP projects. The energy sector is going through a phase where the investors and financers are cautious of delays and uncertainties and thus, there is a need to come up with an effective system for allocation of power projects and devise a methodology for the same which incentivizes investments.

It is imperative that the central government and state government are also in consensus and are willing to create some potential synergies and opportunities that are mutually beneficial. For instance, both Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and Smart Cities Mission aim for better waste management systems and therefore, it is important that these schemes operate in sync with each other. Such an integration also demands cognizance and inclusion in policy administration.  

Thus, while the process of revitalising existing cities is carried on without interrupting ongoing activities, it is equally important that the government reexamines current growth-led models and ensures that sustainable and smart solutions form the core of India’s development. Moreover, as we move towards achieving the desired goals, we must also ensure the participation of all stakeholders along the way which will promote eco balance in India and enhance the quality of life of citizens.

The author is Director and Head of Social and Economic Empowerment, IPE Global