Urban Planning | Development and design of urban landscapes

What enraged us and what gladdened us in 2024: An overview

When we look back at the year fast closing upon us all, there was not much to cheer about how our cities were built, how the environment was undermined in the name of development, and how people mostly coped with…

City averages not good enough to measure air pollution

The average Air Quality Index shows only the central or typical value. It cannot be an accurate representation of air quality in…

Lahore’s dangerous smog brought disease and death – and touched diplomacy

Through most of November, Lahore and Multan, among other places in Pakistan, suffered record-breaking air pollution that saw Air Quality Index in…

COP is broken. Can India call it out, reimagine climate action?

The recently-concluded Conference of Parties, COP29, showed the process is compromised, hijacked by fossil fuels lobbies and developed countries, and unable to…

After COP29: Lessons and actions for urban poor and climate justice

While the role of urban areas in climate mitigation and adaptation efforts has been acknowledged, including at the annual climate summits, questions…

The way forward for urban local bodies to finance climate action

Cities in India are at a preliminary stage of climate actions. A 126-cities survey showed that urban local bodies are spending two-three…

‘Developing countries are struggling to get climate-related finance’

As the global powers work out the finance needed to address devastating climate change impacts in the developing world, for which the…

Lesser-known world summits for the planet and people

Away from the international glare of the annual climate summit, other equally important global conferences were held through October-November – the UN Conference of Parties on Biodiversity (also called COP16) which focused on funds to protect the world’s biodiversity but…

The making and unmaking of Goa’s unique alternative urbanity

Back in 1986, Goa had put in place land zoning plans which ensured that its agricultural lands, ecological systems, and historical sites…

Panaji at the crossroads of economic boom and ecological decline

The spectacular expansion of Panaji has meant an assault on its natural flood drainage network, creeks, estuaries, lush hillocks, mangroves, and marshlands.…