The rapidly growing global population, currently over 8 billion, is expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, with Asia, particularly India, accounting for much of this increase. India, one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, is home to over 1.4 billion people and has already surpassed China as the most populous country. This population surge will lead to increased urbanisation, as people migrate from rural areas to cities seeking employment, services, and improved quality of life.
Currently, over 30 percent of India’s population resides in cities, a figure projected to rise to 40 percent by 2030. This urban growth will drive a significant demand for robust sustainable infrastructure to support the needs of the expanding population. Climate change will further strain infrastructure, with rising temperatures and frequent heatwaves, particularly in northern states, posing health risks. Cities like Bengaluru are already grappling with water shortages amidst rapid urbanisation. As climate events become more severe, the urgency for climate-resilient infrastructure in Indian cities intensifies.
Integrating climate concerns into infrastructure development requires extensive planning and policy frameworks that support and incentivise sustainable growth. According to NITI Aayog, 65 percent of Indian cities currently lack a master plan, resulting in unplanned urbanisation that leads to environmental and resource degradation. A report by the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) indicated that megacities like Chennai, Kolkata, and Mumbai had reached their environmental degradation thresholds by 2014. Despite the National Mission on Sustainable Habitat (NMSH) emphasising the importance of development planning, much remains to be done in terms of implementation and compliance, as Indian cities continue to be highly vulnerable to climate disasters. A proactive policy approach is necessary for sustainable infrastructure development.
Sustainable infrastructure must balance environmental protection with economic progress to achieve long-term prosperity. Infrastructure planning should anticipate future adversities, such as climate impacts, and minimise environmental damage. Cities need to develop and utilise knowledge management frameworks to address the rapidly evolving challenges of climate change and urbanisation effectively. Efficient and sustainable resource use depends on location-specific knowledge, best generated and understood locally. This necessitates comprehensive data collection to understand the hyperlocal needs and challenges of cities and devise sustainable solutions.
The successful transformation of Indian cities into planned spaces for sustainable development depends on effective implementation of policies. Often, departments operate in silos, focusing independently on resources like water, transport, and energy, complicating outcomes. The increasing strain on resources necessitates a comprehensive approach to utilise limited resources efficiently and address sustainability challenges holistically. Recent studies have highlighted the nexus between water, food, and energy, but scaling and applying this approach remains an institutional challenge in Indian cities. Incentives to boost food production can increase water consumption and degradation, as well as energy demand. Similarly, enhancing energy supply may lead to water shortages for irrigation and consumption. Thus, aligning different sectors and considering interdependencies at the city level is crucial for ensuring long-term sustainable development.
Incorporating climate considerations into the sustainable development of Indian cities requires collaboration between the public and private sectors. While supporting government efforts, the private sector can provide vital financing for developing climate-resilient infrastructure. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) will be essential in addressing the funding needs for low-carbon and energy-efficient development. However, innovative funding methods are necessary to attract private investors. According to the Global Infrastructure Hub, private funding has stagnated in recent years, while the infrastructure funding gap has reached multi-trillion-dollar figures. The government needs to establish a clear regulatory framework for development planning and innovative incentives for private investment in sustainable infrastructure.
Indian cities will be central to the country’s growth story but will also face the challenges of a rapidly rising population. The infrastructure needed to support an additional 456 million people by 2050 must be developed sustainably. The looming threat of climate disasters will further complicate resource management. The solution lies in a comprehensive, integrated policy framework where institutions collaborate to anticipate and prepare for the needs of an ever-growing population sustainably
