Connect Karo 2018, hosted by WRI India, is a conclave that will bring together leaders and policy makers committed to designing a more equal city. The event will be from 4-6 April 2018 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. The event will facilitate engagement between innovators, researchers, government agencies, policy-makers, businesses, and civil society members, serving as a platform for ideation and collaboration towards sustainable urban development. The focus of the sessions will be on issues related to urban planning, transport, energy, water, resilience, and climate change. Click on the themes below to view dates and times for specific sessions.

Click on the links below to access the full agenda for each:

 

Opening Day at #CK2017

Towards a more equal city

By 2050, over half the world’s total urban population will be in Asia. While the global poverty rate is declining, the proportion of poor living in cities is greater than ever before. How can cities address this challenge? The next generation of cities will require a re-examination of conventional responses to the challenges of urbanisation. City leaders have to strike the balance between meeting the immediate and growing demand for services, and making longer term decisions that affect the built environment.


Sustainable Urban Mobility at #CK2017

Catalysing sustainable urban mobility solutions in cities

Our cities are growing, and with it, our need for transport. By 2030, cities could produce nearly 8 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide per year from buildings and personal vehicle use alone. Poor air quality accounts for 3.7 million premature deaths every year. Fostering cleaner forms of transport like walking and bicycling, improving fuel and vehicle technologies, and reducing private vehicle use can combat this trend. Using proven solutions and action-oriented tools in sustainable urban mobility will make Indian cities more resilient to new challenges and bring economic, environmental, and social benefits to people.


Urban Development at #CK2017

Connecting people and opportunities through equitable urban environments

India is in the early phases of urbanisation with 40 percent of its citizens expected to live in cities by 2030. Economic reforms and growing employment opportunities in cities will mean that an additional 220 million people will call urban India home over the next fifteen years. Building holistic infrastructure with an emphasis on sustainable and equitable development will help create communities that are liveable, connected, and safe for all.

The prospective growth in the coming years presents a unique opportunity for city leaders to intelligently leverage investments being made in the city, to actualize social, economic, and environmental benefits of sustainable urban development.


Integrated Urban Water Management at #CK2017

Mapping, measuring, and mitigating urban water challenges

The world runs on water. Clean, reliable water supplies are vital for industry, agriculture, and energy production. Every community and ecosystem on Earth depends on water for sanitation, hygiene, and daily survival.

Yet the world’s water systems face formidable threats. More than a billion people currently live in water-scarce regions, and as many as 3.5 billion could experience water scarcity by 2025. In India, too, these threats are impacting urban growth and livelihoods. By focusing on water quantity and quality challenges, using technology and mapping tools, businesses, governments, and civil society can ensure a water-secure future.


Clean Energy at #CK2017

Fueling the growth of clean, affordable power

India is the fourth-largest energy consumer in the world.  It will likely overtake China in the next decade as the country that is driving the growth in global energy demand. However, the current electricity generation and supply model is struggling to provide the electricity needed by all its citizens and its growing industries. Over 360 million people in India still lack access to electricity, perpetuating poverty, unemployment, and economic disparities. The challenges include limited domestic energy production, financial viability of distribution companies, and a heavy reliance on coal-fired power plants. For India to meet the increasing energy needs while minimizing the impacts to the environment and public health, addressing the demand side via energy efficiency interventions, and the supply side via renewable energy sources is imperative.


Urban Climate Resilience at #CK2017

Addressing climate risks and vulnerabilities in urban and peri-urban areas

Building resilience to climate change is complex, particularly for rapidly growing cities. The impacts of climate change vary greatly among different cities due to physical factors like local geography and environment as well as a host of social, political, and economic factors, rooted in systemic inequalities.

Many cities have not yet addressed climate risks due to lack of relevant city policies and action plans, outmoded regulations on urban planning, lack of capacity to respond to climate disasters, and lack of public awareness. Cities need to identify their climate risks and vulnerabilities in order to take action and make their cities more resilient.


Climate Action at #CK2017

Advancing transformative solutions for climate change mitigation

For 38 consecutive years, global temperatures have exceeded the global annual averages, and the impacts of this are being felt all around the world. By significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and vulnerability to climate change impacts, we can meet ambitious goals on access to urban opportunities and drive ambition in both sub-national and national climate commitments.

We need climate action that reconciles top-down and bottom-up approaches with specific demonstration and pilot projects. Cities need to establish frameworks that advance transformative solutions that mitigate climate change and help communities adapt to its impacts.