CMS Environment Workshop - Towards Carbon Neutral Indian Cities

Theme 2009: Climate Change and Sustainable Technologies
Date: October 29 - 30, 2009,Venue- India Habitat Centre, New Delhi

BACKGROUND : With increasing populations, cities are becoming huge sources of Green House Gases (GHG) emissions from anthropogenic activities. The emissions in the cities get embedded in the immediate living environment and stem from (i) electricity consumed in domestic, commercial and public sectors for lighting, cooling, water pumping and office management and (ii) fossil fuels consumed in sectors such as transport, cooking and in generators for generating electricity. The consumption levels are likely to be skewed further, when in 2050, 70 per cent of the world population will reside in cities (according to the UN projections).

In its National Climate Action Plan on Climate Change, launched in June 2008, the government of India has taken the initiative to mainstream climate friendly technologies through some key missions. However, these missions need to be effectively integrated in the city development plans as actionable items. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has stressed that action must be immediate.

WORKSHOP: A PLATFORM FOR ACTION AND INTEGRATION

As the theme of the CMS Environment Forum 2009 is on “limate Change and Sustainable Technologies”, this workshop aims to spotlight how cities can cope with climate change in particular through the use of appropriate technology. The workshop will provide a platform for city planners and officials, technology researchers, people from the public and the private sectors and other relevant stakeholders to develop a framework/action plan for environmentally sustainable cities in the context of climate change in India. This includes the identification of policy requirements, strategies and programmes, markets and employment opportunities.

The workshop will be for two days and the discussions will lead to the publication with a clear policy advisory on the initiatives to move towards green carbon neutral Indian cities. These will be widely circulated amongst city planners, policy makers, and green technologist amongst others.

SESSIONS
Session I: Inaugural (Climate change and India’s developmental goals)
Session II: Sustainable energy supply and management in cities
Session III: Climate change and sustainable transport system in cities
Session IV: Climate change, global warming and urban environment
Session V: Managing water in cities vis a vis climate change
Session VI: Climate change and urban food security
Session VI: Towards development of effective climate action plan for cities
Plenary


WHO CAN PARTICIPATE:
Representatives, policy makers and advisors of state and central government departments, specialists and professionals working on environment, forests, health, renewable energy, water resources, petroleum, agriculture, food processing and industry; members of pollution control boards and urban planning; urban development and municipal bodies, as well as members of donor agencies, civil society and research organisations.