At the 27th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP 27), ICLEI South Asia along with the National Institute of Urban Affairs, with support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Climate Development and Knowledge Network is organising a session on Fostering Sustainable Lifestyles through Climate Smart Development and Urban Partnerships – Lessons from India at the India Pavilion, Sharm El-Sheikh International Convention Center from 13:00 to 15:00 Hrs (Egypt Standard Time UTC+02:00).

India is witnessing rapid urbanisation and cities are estimated to support more than 40% of India’s population and more than 75% of the national GDP by 2030. This pace of urbanisation and associated challenges, coupled with climate risks adds to the complex challenges that Indian cities are facing already, such as providing adequate living space and basic urban services like water supply, sanitation, etc. Therefore, it is important to plan and strategies at all levels of governance on how to balance economic growth with ‘Climate Smart’ urban development coupled with sustainable lifestyle solutions.

Several strategies to mainstream sustainable development and ‘Climate Smart’ actions in all urban investments and development activities have been already adopted by the Government of India as part of various national urban missions and programs such as Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U), Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM), Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-Urban), Smart Cities Mission (SCM), and ClimateSmart Cities Assessment Framework (CSCAF), etc. As acknowledged by major agendas such as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Action Agenda, Paris Agreement and the paradigm shift in India’s urban discourse, it is imperative to create dialogue and foster peer-to-peer learning to facilitate enhanced climate action and enable urban infrastructures for sustainable lifestyles in Indian cities.

Local and subnational governments in India are increasingly tackling the climate challenge with a sense of urgency, implementing integrated climate action in the areas of mitigation and adaptation through appropriate policies, partnerships, capacity building and innovative mechanisms to access finance & technology. Despite the inherent problems faced by Indian cities, many of them are leading the way and emerging as leaders in the fight against climate change. In line with this theme, this session will showcase key successes (mitigation and adaptation) by Indian cities on climate change and highlight the role of cities as change agents for Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) living. Session will also launch the Nature-Based Solutions Compendium prepared by ICLEI South Asa. The objectives of the session are as follows:

1. Discuss integrated climate action planning and approach towards climate neutrality.
2. Showcase various success stories and best practices being implemented in Indian cities and share knowledge on ways to enable sustainable lifestyle changes through urban infrastructures and services.
3. Best practices in climate governance – the whole of economy approach and multistakeholder engagement.
4. Highlight learnings and outcomes of the ‘ClimateSMART Cities Assessment Framework (CSCAF)’ initiative.

Key speakers from the session.

For any questions or clarification regarding the session, please write to:

Soumya Chaturvedula, Deputy Director, ICLEI South Asia | soumya.chaturvedula@iclei.org
Keshav Jha, Manager (Research & Advocacy) | keshav.jha@iclei.org