Over the next two decades, as most Indian cities will urbanise, we have a window of opportunity of making the cities “Tall, Green and Walkable”.
The recent heat waves in South Asia should compel policymakers to look at the environmental crisis more holistically. In 2022, more than 1 billion Indians faced temperature of more than 40 degree Celsius in April alone. Last year, June, July, and August were the hottest three months ever; this yearcould be worse. New Delhi has already recorded a temperature high of 46 degrees Celsius in May 2024.
Although the use of the fossil fuel to power our houses, vehicles, and industries is being rethought, but they are just a part of the policy mix that climate scientists have been recommending. There are other areas which need equal, if not more, attention. This expansion of urban policy toolbox can be useful in focusing energies on those solutions which are possible in the short to medium term.
The world’s urban population already contributes 90 percent of the global gross value-added and 78 percent of the carbon emissions. In seven years, 60 percent of the world population will live in urban areas. In United States (US), it will be close to 80 percent. Urban is where action is. Yet well-designed urban policies are absent in many countries, including the US. Thecities of Africa and Asia will have to think harder about their urban policies. It is in countries like India, China, or Nigeria where much of the urbanisation will take place. Yet “city-zens” in many such countries will be subject to the most inhabitable conditions.
The world’s urban population already contributes 90 percent of the global gross value-added and 78 percent of the carbon emissions. In seven years, 60 percent of the world population will live in urban areas. In United States (US), it will be close to 80 percent. Urban is where action is.
Take Delhi, now the capital of world’s most populous country, as an example.
More than 60 percent of Delhi’s residents live in less than 8.75 m2 floor area per capita. People are compromising on space thus are living in unsanitary, unplanned, and unsafe spaces. The city is expanding outwards, increasing the distance that people commute to work. Congestion is common.
Trees in Delhi are less than 10 percent of its total area and are inequitably located in central and south Delh percent. This leaves a large portion of its population exposed to extreme heat in summers. For a city with 33% of trips on foot, this is a death sentence. And without access to basic services like water, toilets, cooking gas and drainage, the city can be inhospitable.
But learning from the challenges of Delhi, what solutions can cities which are yet to expand and urbanise adopt in India? The answer is: tall, green, walkable.
By ‘tall’, scientists mean taller buildings. Analysing 478 cities, scientists have shown that cities which grow upwards have lower emissions. Why? They use less land, building materials, and energy. They also nurture tighter communities. And if you can make these buildings with timber or wood, even better!
If you have seen the skyline of Shanghai, New York, or Tokyo, Delhi’s buildings are comparatively short. The city can start by increasing its Floor-to-Area ratio (FAR) limits. FAR is simply how much you can build on a plot of land. Delhi’s maximum FAR is 3.5. Shanghai’s is 8. Denver 17. Tokyo 20. Cities like Ranchi, which are yet to expand at the scale of Delhi, can aim to expand upwards than outwards, by ensuring that the FAR limits are more generous.
‘Green’ refers to trees, parks, forests, indoor plants, horizontal, and vertical gardens. Trees reduce temperature and pollution. They can even boost tourism as seen in Singapore. Trees can protect pedestrians from dust and extreme temperatures. In a densely populated Delhi, horizontal and vertical gardens, and indoor plant systems can improve human health through increased biodiversity exposure. Expanding the tree cover on walkways in north, west, and east Delhi can be helpful in bringing down the overall temperature in the city. Other cities in India can focus on preserving the tree cover they already have. Vertical and horizontal gardens on government buildings are feasible. This will require a dedicated and capable urban environmental agency which can survey, improve, and maintain the city’s natural resource inventories.
‘Green’ refers to trees, parks, forests, indoor plants, horizontal, and vertical gardens. Trees reduce temperature and pollution. They can even boost tourism as seen in Singapore. Trees can protect pedestrians from dust and extreme temperatures.
Finally, ‘walkable’. Both taller buildings and green infrastructure can improve walkability. Tall cities like New York with smaller block sizes and frequent intersections make people walk and greener paths provide shade for people to walk. We can also improve walkability in cities like Delhi by installing sidewalks, improving traffic management, or reducing the width of roads in inner city. Improved public transport can significantly aid in reducing the traffic on roads and the willingness of commuters to walk or cycle for shorter distances. For all non-communicable disease epidemic in India, walking will only make us healthier. It will also reduce emissions as people drive less. It will connect people to places.
Over the next two decades, we have a window of opportunity when most Indian cities will urbanise to makecities “Tall, Green and Walkable”. This involves planning and land-use regulations, especially for improving the compactness of the cities. It also needs better financial management at city level and a collaborative approach to discuss and resolve implementation challenges. Again, these are not the only policy tools available, and reports have even argued for a more comprehensive list of items to confront the climate crisis.
Over the next two decades, we have a window of opportunity when most Indian cities will urbanise to makecities “Tall, Green and Walkable”. This involves planning and land-use regulations, especially for improving the compactness of the cities.
Indian cities have already started to take notice of the need for policy intervention through informational tools like the urban heat action plans. However, we need more substantive efforts. Tall, Green and Walkable is a step in that direction.
Mohnish Kedia is a PhD Candidate at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP) National University of Singapore.
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Mohnish is pursuing his PhD at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP), National University of Singapore. He is theoretically interested in policy ...
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