Overview
At WRI India’s flagship event, ‘Connect Karo 2024’, the Eco City-regions team convened a roundtable session which saw the participation of government partners, policymakers, experts, peer organisations, and changemakers to discuss pathways for building resilient and inclusive Eco City-regions. As cities and their immediate regions are particularly vulnerable to climate events that are becoming more frequent and intense (heat, floods, drought) and with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emphasizing the critical role that integrated spatial planning plays in climate positive actions, the co-creation of ecologically resilient city-regions is apparent. Therein, this discussion aimed to address complex intersections and the diversity of local narratives emerging from the six partner member regions involved, namely – J&K, Tamil Nadu, Bodoland Territorial Region, Punjab and Delhi.
Panel Speakers
- Ms Mandeep Kaur (IAS), Commissioner Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department, Government of Jammu and Kashmir
- Mr Akash Deep (IAS), Principal Secretary, Bodoland Territorial Region
- Ms Sudha Ramen (IFS), Member Secretary, State Planning Commission, Government of Tamil Nadu
- Mr Rogier van der Berg, Global Director, WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities
- Dr Poornima Dore, Visiting Professor, XLRI Jamshedpur
- Prof Saswat Bandopadhyay, Faculty of Planning, CEPT University
- Mr Sanjay Sridhar, Specialist, Cities, Climate and Governance
- Ms Archana Tripathi, CEO, Saahas
- Mr Mathew Idiculla, Visiting Faculty, Azim Premji University
- Mr Sandeep Paul, Senior Urban Designer and Co-founder, The Urban Lab
- Ms Pooja Tendulkar, Co-founder, Lemnion Green Solutions Pvt Ltd
- Ms Surabhi Rajagopal, Senior Program Manager, SELCO
- Mr Kirat Brahma, Co-founder and CEO, Zankhla Design Studio
- Dr Nambi Appadurai, Director – Climate Resilience Practice, WRI India
- Dr Ruchika Singh, Executive Program Director, Food Land and Water, WRI India
- Ms Harsha Meenawat, Program Head – Energy and Development, WRI India
- Rejeet Mathews, Program Director, Integrated Urban Development, WRI India
Special Invitees
- Mr Mohammad Rafi (JKAS), Vice Chairman, Srinagar Development Authority
- Mr Pankaj Kumar Sharma (JKAS), Vice Chairman, Jammu Development Authority
- Mr S Govindaraju, Planning Officer, State Planning Commission, Government of Tamil Nadu
- Mr J Durgadevi, Technical Assistant, State Planning Commission, Government of Tamil Nadu
- Mr Vivek Venkatramani, Program Head – Climate Resilience Practice, WRI India
Key Takeaways
- Indigenous Knowledge and traditional practices can inform scientific studies and approaches, leading to more effective and culturally appropriate solutions, especially in ecologically fragile areas.
- Many large cities encounter significant challenges like congestion, pollution and social inequality. By understanding and analysing these failures, smaller cities and regions can identify pitfalls and adapt innovative strategies that are tailored to their unique contexts.
- While highlighting the need for innovative solutions, it is essential to provide tangible proof of concept from implemented solutions.
- Addressing urban and regional issues requires a whole-of-government approach, engaging multiple sectors, breaking down silos, and employing participative processes rather than relying on isolated efforts.