Greenhouse gas emissions - Question of Cities

They woke us up to climate change, and an equitable world

Over the past decades, multilateral agencies and international organisations drew forces together to conduct studies that led to path-breaking reports on environment and development, brought world leaders together to agree on cutting emissions, and laid down the goals and framework…

‘Urban planning tends to be driven by money, not natural ecosystem’

Once known as a salubrious city with abundant green, Pune has transformed into a crowded and chaotic city grappling with rapid urbanisation, poor infrastructure, and depleting natural resources facing the brunt of extreme weather events. The failure to cope with…

Mithi: More than a rainwater drain for Mumbai but tell that to the authorities

The quiet Mithi River turned hostile on July 26, 2005, flooding the city in the record 944 millimetres rainfall that day. Pinched and bent in places, narrowed by encroachments, treated like a sewage stream, the Mithi became the focus of…

Reimagining Mumbai: From flood-prone to sponge city

Over the years, reckless development has destroyed the city’s ecology, increasing the risk of floods. Mumbai’s lakes, marshes, and salt pans used to absorb monsoon rains and mitigate floods but they have been built upon or covered with concrete. As…

Karachi, choking on plastic, searches for solutions as climate impact looms

Plastic pollution and urban flooding go hand in hand. In 2022, catastrophic floods in Karachi claimed many lives and devastated the city. Even as climate change increased the frequency and intensity of rain, the widespread misuse of plastic was reportedly…

India must lead the climate conversation on mitigation, with urgency

Climate change negotiations mean little unless India is prepared to commit to phasing out fossil fuels and evolve a clear framework on mitigation. The annual UN Conference of Parties this year, or COP28, included the phrase “transitioning away” from fossil…

Pune’s women waste pickers show path to climate action

Women waste pickers have been playing a crucial role towards making Pune zero-waste. Their efforts mean nearly 80,000 tonnes of waste recycled annually which saves the municipal corporation at least Rs 100 crore besides reducing the burden on landfills --…