Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh outlined India’s integrated approach to sustainable urban development at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Congress, emphasizing that rapid urbanization offers opportunities for innovation and resilience rather than challenges alone.
Speaking at a high-level ministerial dialogue on “Transforming Our Urban Environment: Pathways to Sustainability,” Singh said that with two-thirds of the world’s population expected to live in cities by 2050, countries must shape this transition to drive sustainable growth. Urbanization, he said, concentrates demand for energy, housing, and mobility but also enables large-scale deployment of low-carbon technologies and efficient infrastructure.
Referring to the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report, he noted that migration is increasingly driven not only by employment but also by climate impacts such as droughts and coastal flooding. Properly managed, he said, this movement of people can strengthen resilience, diversify economies, and reduce per-capita emissions.
The Minister called for integrated planning, stressing that urban systems must be designed for interconnectedness , linking green and grey infrastructure, embedding redundancy in critical systems, and aligning health and housing policies with climate resilience.
He outlined India’s three-pillar approach: establishing enabling frameworks such as green building codes and energy standards; advancing finance through central grants, viability gap funding, and access to green bonds; and enhancing capacity through training, data platforms, and model projects.
Singh cited flagship programmes such as the Smart Cities Mission and AMRUT, which promote energy-efficient water, lighting, and building systems, alongside initiatives like PM-eBus Sewa for electric mobility and the UJALA scheme, which has distributed over 370 million LED bulbs nationwide. Energy conservation standards and the creation of urban greenbelts using the Japanese Miyawaki method further support climate-friendly urbanization.
He reaffirmed India’s global partnerships through the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and the International Solar Alliance, noting that these reflect Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Mission LiFE philosophy of sustainable lifestyles.Concluding, Singh said that with vision, finance, and citizen engagement, urbanization can drive low-carbon and inclusive development. “Our goal must be to create cities that are livable, green, and inclusive , places where aspirations can thrive without losing balance with nature,” he stated.
The panel also featured Rogier van den Berg, Global Director of the Ross Center for Sustainable Cities at the World Resources Institute; Alderman Eddie Andrews, Deputy Mayor of Cape Town; Silvia Montilla, Chief Growth Officer at Unergy; and Salwa Al Maflahi, Executive Director of Sustainability and Community Outreach at Aldar Properties.
The IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025, is being held from 9 to 15 October at Abu Dhabi’s venue, is the quadrennial flagship gathering of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It convenes hundreds of governments, NGOs, scientists, Indigenous groups, businesses, and other stakeholders to set global agendas for biodiversity, nature-based solutions, and sustainable development. Under the theme “Powering Transformative Conservation”, the Congress will address five critical themes, including equity, resilient conservation action, and transitioning toward nature-positive economies.