SDG 11: Sustainable Cities & Communities | SDG 13: Climate Action
Institutions: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
On October 11, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, Union MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh presented India’s vision for sustainable, nature-positive urban development at the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025. His remarks linked India’s urban pathway to Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), highlighting integrated planning, citizen-driven behavioural change, and finance-linked climate action.
The Minister outlined three support pillars: (i) frameworks and standards (green buildings, energy codes, municipal finance norms), (ii) financing and risk-sharing (grants, viability-gap funding, and access to municipal and green bonds), and (iii) capacity building and data-driven planning through Smart Cities, AMRUT, and energy-efficiency initiatives under the Energy Conservation Act, 2022. The approach seeks to make urbanisation compact, transit-oriented, energy-efficient, and low-carbon, with national frameworks ensuring predictable finance and technology access.
The statement shifts India’s urban discourse from infrastructure creation to institutional capacity, finance, and sustainability standards. It strengthens the link between climate action and municipal governance, positioning cities as drivers of low-carbon growth and channels for green capital mobilisation.
What is “Nature-Positive Urban Development”? → Urban growth that not only limits harm (emissions, biodiversity loss, resource use) but restores ecosystems, regenerates green/blue assets, and safeguards natural capital as cities expand.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders:
Which two or three enforceable national instruments (e.g., updated model by-laws, mandatory energy codes, green-bond disclosure norms) would most quickly translate this vision into measurable city-level outcomes?
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