State governments and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) should be aware about the reality of adverse impact of climate change and take necessary measures to address the same, Urban Development Secretary Rajiv Gauba today said.
Speaking on 'New Climate Economy' at a conference organised by Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), he emphasised on the need for urban planning to be adequately climate sensitive in the context of rapid urbanisation taking place in the country.
Gauba said though urban areas account for only 2 per cent of land, they account for 78 per cent of total energy consumption and over 60 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions which triggers climate change.
Noting that India's urban population is set to double by 2050, he stressed on the need for fundamentally different and transformative policies and urban planning to mitigate the adverse impact of climate change and urged the states and Urban Local Bodies to rise to the occasion through necessary interventions.
Emphasising that the new urban missions launched by the Ministry of Urban Development seek to address climate change concerns, he said the Smart Cities by definition are climate sensitive.
"With urbanisation becoming inevitable and even desirable and in the context of efforts to improve living standards, we will have to keep sustainability at the centre of our urban planning," he said.
