Urban Environmental Challenges: Making livable cities

1. Anumita Roychowdhury Centre for Science and Environment, India Symposium: What Makes India urban? Aedes East: International Forum for Contemporary Architecture Berlin, October 10, 2009 Urban Environmental Challenges: Making livable cities

2. Unprecedented urban growth 1950-2006: The urban population of the world has increased from 739 million to 3.2 billion. By 2025 around 65 per cent of the world’s population is projected to live in cities. By 2010 more than 75 per cent of the world’s urban population will live in poorer countries ( State of the World 2007 ). More than 40 per cent of the world children are estimated to be living in polluted cities of developing world ( WHO ). A billion more will be added over the next three decades in Asia – almost adding a whole new India. More than half of them will be living in cities What about India?

3. Growth of cities Exponential annual growth in urban population during 1940s, 50s and 70s … Agrarian crisis pushed people out of villages. They came to cities in search of livelihood ….. Growing steadily during 80s and 90s: Share of urban population increased from 17.3%in 1951 to 27.78% in 2001. Urban population is projected to grow in the coming decades. The total urban population is already almost equal to the total population of the United States

6. Maximum city `Vision Mumbai’ (Mackinsy Plan)… Build another Shanghai… it hits out at poor… reduce slums… build free ways and expressways…. What about equity? 49% of population are in slums……..

7. Urban sprawl – glitzy towns in dark shadows….. Privatised new towns…… Town of affluents but infratructure of poor -- 70% of water needs from ground water; Groundwater table falling at a rate of 1 to 1.2 meters annually; dropped by 16 meters in last 20 years -- Only 40% of the DLF area connected by sewer line -- Only 70-75% of solid waste transported; No landfill site -- Poor public transport connectivity -- Due to acute power shortage heavy dependence on generator-sets -- Violation of development rules related to open spaces and community services

9. But we have a chance to grow differently Our cities are built differently …… Delhi Kolkata Bangalore Kolkata in 19 th century Mumbai If cities are big in scale and density this makes waste treatment, recycling facilities, and public transport more efficient. High urban density makes resource use more efficient and cities more sustainable. Our urban planning needs to build on this strength. …..But efficiency gains can be limited in Indian cities due to poor urban governance….. Source: Urban age London

13. India: Proliferating pollution hotspots Source: Estimated based on CPCB data, comparison with residential area standard Half of the cities are critically polluted due to high level of tiny particles (PM10). Even NO2 is rising – a twin trouble

14. Deadly particles: Unacceptable levels The PM10 trend in key cities Source: Estimated based on CPCB data, comparison with residential area standard

15. Source: CPCB Deepening crisis Not just the big cities. Even smaller cities and towns have started scaling the pollution peaks 180 Kanpur 169 Noida 166 Jamshedpur 168 Jamshedpur 10 185 Firozabad 174 Jalandhar 183 Agra 169 Lucknow 9 189 Lucknow 184 Kanpur 187 Jalandhar 172 Ghaziabad 8 200 Agra 191 Lucknow 189 Kanpur 180 Satna 7 205 Khurja 205 Agra 190 Satna 186 Kanpur 6 206 Satna 213 Satna 192 Lucknow 206 Agra 5 211 Ludhiana 222 Khanna 203 Raipur 215 Jalandhar 4 215 Khanna 229 Gobindgarh 233 Ludhiana 220 Rajkot 3 232 Ghaziabad 251 Ghaziabad 241 Gobindgarh 256 Ludhiana 2 244 Gobindgarh 253 Ludhiana 339 Ghaziabad 283 Raipur 1 Annual average levels Ten most polluted cities in 2007 Annual average levels Ten most polluted cities in 2006 Annual average levels Ten most polluted cities in 2005 Annual average levels Ten most polluted cities in 2004

18. Many Indian cities on a toxic spiral

23. Cars threaten energy security and climate mitigation Source: Lee Schipper, University of Berkeley 2008

24. India is losing the advantage of small car fleet Small and medium cars will remain dominant. But…… Shift towards high end cars expected at a faster rate. SUV market is expected to develop rapidly in future

25. Globally transport has remained the most difficult sector for climate mitigation. India has the chance to avoid that debacle…..

26. In India cities both pollution and CO2 emissions (energy use) are increasing. There is strong co-relation…. Source: CAI Asia, 2008

27. Next generation action in our cities... Lessons from Delhi….

28. First generation measures in Delhi Vehicles Euro II and Euro III emissions standards Pre-mix 2T Oil One of the largest CNG programmes New PUC norms enforced 15 year old commercial vehicles phased out Bypassed transit traffic Diesel run auto rickshaw banned Scaling up bus transport, BRT and metro Industry Zoning policy for industry. Phased out polluting industry Installation of pollution control equipments in thermal power plants. New plants on natural gas Cleaner fuels for industrial boilers Other sources Hospital incineration Ban on open burning of biomass

29. Our first chance to leapfrog…. Euro II diesel bus emits nearly 46 times higher PM than Euro II CNG bus in India. Source: Teri

30. Delhi got cleaner air: it avoided pollution; got health benefits

31. Delhi: at risk of losing gains After a short respite the curve turns upward Source: CPCB

32. Delhi: NOx levels Rising steadily Source: CPCB

33. Indian metros today (Euro III) We need clean technology to reduce public health impacts

35. We cannot afford this change … … . from public transport oriented and walkable cities to car centric cities….

36. It took 30 years to reach the first million mark for personal vehicles in 1971. Another 20 years to add two more million Then in 10 years (1981-91) increased by 14 million Another 10 years (1991-2001) – jumped by 28 million This decade just in four years (2001 to 2004) we have added 16 million Explosive numbers: A special challenge Source: Computed on the basis of MOSRTH motor vehicle registration data Vehicle registration in India : India’s urban population has grown 4.6 times, vehicle numbers have increased 158 times

37. In 5 years Delhi doubled the registration of vehicles Source: Estimated on the basis of Delhi Economic Survey, 2005-06 Daily

38. Cities are Paralyzed The Crawling Traffic Source: Anon 2008, Study on traffic and transportation policies and Strategies in Urban Areas in India, MOUD, p63 The average journey speed in Delhi (16 km/hr), Mumbai (16 km/hr) and Kolkata (18 km/hr): Abysmally poor compared to smaller cities

39. Roads hitting dead end Roads expansion cannot keep pace with rising number of vehicles in Delhi Source: On the basis of Economic Survey, Delhi Govt

40. Peak volume traffic has increased phenomenally Nearly 123 per cent growth on many roads (in PCU/hour) Source: Based on City Development Plan of Delhi, 2006, Eco Smart

41. Reality check Public transport under pressure.. Source: Anon 2008, transport demand forecast study: study and development of an integrated cum multi modal public transport network for NCT of Delhi, RITES, MVA Asia Ltd, TERI, September RITES: Modal share in Delhi

43. But understand the strength of Indian cities…..

44. Stunning data….. Even today 34% of daily trips are walk trips. More than 40% are public transport trips in India’s capital city Source: Anon 2008, transport demand forecast study: study and development of an integrated cum multi modal public transport network for NCT of Delhi, RITES, MVA Asia Ltd, TERI, September

45. Share of public transport, cycling and walking are still high in Indian cities. Even in bigger cities…..

46. Mobility strategy can help Indian cities to avoid future emissions A lot can be achieved if the bus transport is modernised and improved -- ADB study shows that in Bangalore an increase in public transport share from 62 per cent to 80 per cent can lead to fuel saving equal to 21 per cent of the fuel consumed in the base case. -- 23 per cent reduction in total vehicles and freed-up road space equivalent to taking off nearly 418,210 cars from roads. -- CO2 emissions can drop by 13 per cent. Among local pollutants PM can drop by 29 per cent and NOx 6 per cent.

47. But cities are ignoring their strength The Annual Average Growth in % in STU Bus Fleet (2000 to 2007) Source: Anon 2008, Study on traffic and transportation policies and Strategies in Urban Areas in India, MOUD Falling load factor

48. Delhi Bus Corridor Modernise and give buses traffic priority to allow more people to travel in speed and comfort….. …… Focus on moving people not vehicles

50. Need fiscal reforms to make public transport affordable and eliminate hidden subsidy for cars… Buses bear significantly higher tax burden than cars and two-wheelers. If not corrected and bus fares are raised, a substantial public transport ridership can be lost to two wheelers that have a running cost of a mere Re 1/km

51. Cities need fiscal governance for mobility management Policy mandates cities to create dedicated urban transport fund Raise funds from advertisement policy, parking revenue, additional cess on automotive fuels, additional fees on cars especially diesel cars and two-wheelers, annual renewal fee on driving license, Congestion tax etc Some cities have started to take action… Delhi: Air Ambience Fund from environment cess on diesel fuel Surat has created Dedicated urban transport fund through vehicle taxes amounting, parking charges, advertisement revenue, rent from new property development along public transit corridor Bangalore and Chennai : Green tax on older vehicles etc

52. Design cities for the urban majority and not the car owning minority…..

53. Cloverleaf flyover has disrupted at-grade continuity. Cloverleaf has completely severed neighbourhood, increased walking distances, disrupted direct shortest route. Induced more traffic…. Impact of these road and traffic engineering on fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are not calculated…. Flyovers, expressways and seamless traffic are severing the cityscape, increasing driving distances and increasing emissions Before After

54. Urban planning does not keep people in focus Inequity in the provision of facilities… But in poor neighbourhoods ( Govindpuri ) where we have counted 100 persons per 5 minutes pavements are nearly non existent. People walk with traffic. In rich localities ( Aurangzeb Road ) where we could count barely 3 persons per 10 minutes has good walking facilities

55. Ill-designed pavements make them unusable Unusable infrastructure: Wasteful Unacceptably high pavements without proper gradients force people to walk on the road compromising safety….

56. As walk space shrinks and roads are barricaded to create seamless and signal free traffic the shortest direct route for pedestrians is disrupted. People are forced to jay walk Making roads unsafe for people…. Sai Chowk, Patparganj Scindia House, CP

57. Cars taking over the urban commons and legitimate space of walkers Cars taking over …..

59. Rebuilding and redesigning of pedestrian path has begun in some parts of the city….. We need to rebuild our public spaces to make cities more livable.. Janpath: congenial pedestrian ambience R K Marg: Walkable

60. Source: Pradeep Sachdeva It is possible to make a difference Redesigned streets in a small town of Nanded in Maharashtra Before After

62. Thank You