This report is authored by Jagan Shah, Director, Artha Centre for Emerging Cities; Sam Downes, Former Junior Fellow; and Saurabh Modi, Former Associate.

Report name

Localising Green Transitions in India

Who wrote this report?

Artha Global is a policy organisation that supports global partners to design, implement and institutionalise practices that promote prosperity and resilience, with a primary focus on the developing world. They provide actionable research, support policy implementation and work to institutionalise change.

Over the next few decades, the developing world will negotiate overlapping transitions: from rural to urban, farm to factory, informal to formal, brown to green, analogue to digital. Artha helps governments manage these transitions, and the inevitable dislocations they cause, in order to secure long-term prosperity and social stability for citizens.

Artha believes that the multiple challenges of the 21st century require new thinking that cuts across the traditional boundaries of geography, disciplines and interests. Therefore, they leverage their global network of experts to help craft new development agendas, create consensus and build broad coalitions across governments, business, academia, philanthropy and civil society.

Artha's research is housed in six centres: Emerging Cities, Access to Justice, Technology and Innovation, Rapid Insights, Public Health, and Inclusive Growth.

Best quote

City governments, with differing demographics and diverse economies, geographies and priorities, are closer to the ground and can deal with the nature of detail that state governments cannot, regardless of their power and capacity.

Key takeaways:

  • State governments provide strategy, oversight and resources to local governments: The redefinition of states and transformation of them into custodians responsible for federal and regional development is essential. This entails holding lower tiers of government accountable for district and local area plans, while offering increased support in areas with limited capacities.
  • Municipalities and districts become first responders and planners, working hand in hand with the private sector and civil society: By defining more distinct responsibilities for state and union governments and providing improved assistance and data for decision-making, urban local bodies and districts can create green growth and development plans that consider their unique local and regional circumstances comprehensively. These plans will take into account various aspects, including economic activities, land markets, urban structure, environmental consequences and management of natural resources.
  • Cities improve revenue streams and financial self-reliance, unlocking Union funds with state government support and securing green finance by de-risking and safeguarding investments: The adoption of increased and timely devolution of funds should become the standard norm, while also considering revenue prospects such as public land monetisation and carbon taxation.

What’s in this report?

This report demonstrates the integral role of cities in shaping India’s transition to net-zero. Much of the current climate conversation is a sectoral one, focusing on decarbonisation in specific economic sectors like energy, transportation, agriculture and industry. But spatially, many of these transitions will manifest in cities. This report by Artha Global contends that cities shape the demand for emissions; if planned and managed better, they could be at the forefront of the green transition.

Urban management and governance in the context of climate change requires more attention, especially in lower to middle-income countries. The objective of this report is to initiate dialogues with stakeholders, shedding light on the crucial role cities can play in addressing climate change. The research has primarily focused on direct links rather than exploring numerous secondary relationships that emerged during the study. A crucial task is quantifying the impact of governance and linking it to various programmes and targets. This report serves as a starting point for Artha Global's engagement, which outlines the precise roles and responsibilities of cities in achieving net-zero targets in India and other economically similar nations.

Why should you read this report?

This report offers readers a comprehensive insight into the significant role that Indian cities play in addressing climate change. The initial steps in India's journey towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2070 lie in finding effective solutions for the various urban form challenges prevalent in its cities. The key to localising green transitions in India lies in comprehending the roles of diverse stakeholders, encompassing urban management and various levels of government, and recognising the significance of their collaboration in this process. Managing India’s increasing urbanisation will be a key factor in determining the success or failure of this task.

Who is this report for?

This report is recommended for a wide array of readers, including urban planners, government officials at both state and local levels, policymakers, researchers, climate change experts and advocacy groups. It serves as a comprehensive resource for gaining insights into the present state of urbanisation in India and the necessary strategies that need to be adopted to achieve India’s climate action objectives.

🔗 Read the full report here. 🔗

Done reading? Make sure to tell the author what you think by leaving a comment below ⬇️

(Image credit: Unsplash)