Initiatives like 'Smart City Mission', 'AMRUT' essential to integrate green infrastructure and enhance urban ecological resilience

There is a growing apprehension that renewed thrust on urbanization can be an elixir for Net Zero commitment & Sustainable Development Goals / SDGs.

- RITWIK MUKHERJEE

This is an apprehension that needs to be addressed immediately.

Mind you that India is urbanizing rapidly. According to Census 2011, India's urban population was 31.1 percent of the total population, which is expected to increase to 35-37 percent in census 2024.

If a recent study by the SBI Research wing is to be believed, the relationship between urbanization and forest cover is U-shaped. Early-stage urbanization leads to deforestation, but as urbanization progresses, there is an increase in policies such as urban greening, forest conservation programmes and sustainable land-use planning, which results in an eventual recovery of forest cover.

Beyond 40 percent urbanization rate the effect on forest cover becomes positive. Thus, more and more programmes like Smart Cities Mission and AMRUT are essential to integrate green infrastructure and enhance urban ecological resilience.