Green Infrastructure: Boot-up for Sustainable Urbanization

At the climate change conference COP 26 in Glasgow, Scotland, India committed to procuring fifty percent of its total energy needs through renewable energy sources by 2030 and to be a net-zero carbon economy by 2070. The most important factor in achieving this goal is to develop green and sustainable infrastructure. India has already been actively combating climate change by implementing the National Action Plan and the National Renewable Energy Policy in the last decade and a half.

The infrastructure industry goes hand in hand with the economic development of a country. So it is crucial to develop the industry in a more sustainable and greener way to make it future-ready. This will also result in many economic benefits, like job creation, a boost in local economies, and an increase in property value. It can also improve the quality of life for the communities and help India conserve natural resources like water, wildlife, and land.

Image by macro vector on Freepik

All these benefits put infrastructure in the midst of the efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). New infrastructure projects should be planned in such a way that it satisfies the three spheres of SDGs:- Economic, Environmental, and Socially Sustainable. Already developed infrastructure can also be retrofitted to make them more sustainable and green.

The Indian government has launched policies like ECBC (Energy Conservation Building Code) , EESL (Energy Efficiency Services Limited) and Smart Cities Mission to require and promote sustainable practices in building construction and appliance manufacturing, respectively. These policies will incentive the use of green building materials and eco-friendly energy systems. Harsh coal sector reforms will make coal plants more efficient and greatly reduce carbon emissions. The government is also promoting Smart Grid to improve the efficiency, reliability, security, and sustainability of the electrical distribution system across the country. India is also focusing on retrofitting the water management system by bolstering rainwater gathering and strengthening water treatment and delivery systems. Waste management is also retooled to add practices like recycling and handling waste in a more environmentally friendly way.

Developing solar infrastructure is one of the most important aspects of achieving the three spheres of SDGs. India is already 4th in the world in solar PV (photovoltaic) deployment, with the instalment capacity reaching around 62 Gigawatt as of November 2022. The solar tariffs in India have also become competitive with traditional energy sources. This results from government incentives for private companies to build solar panels and consumer subsidies to bring the overall price down. Many companies, like Tata Power, Adani Solar, Microtek solar solutions, Vikram Solar, etc., have capitalized on these policies and have produced and sold solar panels for rooftops and solar farms for commercial use across the country.

India is swiftly moving towards adapting electric vehicles, so infrastructure development for charging vehicles has become a priority. Automotive companies like Tata and Hyundai have already started building electric charging stations around the country. The Indian ministry of petroleum has stated that their goal is to build charging stations in more than 22,000 petrol pumps. If the goal is achieved, the electric charging infrastructure will become robust and lead to more EV adoption resulting in a decrease in carbon emissions. The public transport system is also revitalizing so it will be more attractive to the public, leading to less pollution from private cars. India is also focusing on creating “Green spaces” in the form of parks and forests for public to provide fresh air and recreation.

Green highway Image by macrovector on Freepik

The ministry of road transport and the highway has adopted “the green highway” policy to promote the greening of highway corridors with the help of local communities, the private sector, NGOs, and government institutions. The rapid development of expressways and national highways around the country also helps improve vehicle efficiency and hence decrease carbon emissions.

The IT (Information technology) sector is also adopting new technologies like AI, Blockchain, and machine learning to aid sustainable transformation. India’s leading IT company, Infosys, has become one of the first companies in the country to go carbon neutral. Many Indian startups, like Angirus, Recycle X, Greenjams, etc., are focusing on using recycled waste products in construction to make building materials efficient, affordable, and environmentally friendly.

Infrastructure is an essential component in developing a more sustainable future for the country. The government will have to work hand in hand with the private sector to achieve its goal of providing green energy, reducing its dependence on fossil fuels, and in the process, becoming more self-reliant.