These Doughnuts are Healthy
Study proposes an alternative approach to sustainable development.
India’s urbanisation rate is expected to touch 50% by 2050 according to the International Energy Agency and the United Nations, and the demand for urban infrastructure and energy will increase in the future. India has to develop a comprehensive urbanisation strategy to control its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
In the book India Energy Revolution: Insights into Becoming a Global Power published by Routledge India (Taylor & Francis Group), CSTEP researchers Ramya Natarajan, Kaveri Ashok, and Sarah Khan use principles of systems thinking and modelling to identify sustainable interventions that can support the transition of cities to Doughnut Cities (Chapter 12). The modelling results show that strategies such as mixed land use, integrated city planning, adoption of green and smart buildings, and (clean) electrification of urban transport can reduce annual GHG emissions by almost 75% while also meeting basic development goals more efficiently.
In Chapter 8 of the same book, CSTEP researchers Rishu Garg, Mallik EV, and Hanumanth Raju GV discuss the role of electricity distribution companies (DISCOMS) in India’s transition to green energy.
Greening the grid using renewable energy is a game-changing approach to resolving the development and sustainability conundrum. Transitioning to green energy is an important step in achieving India’s development (access to clean energy) and climate goals (reducing the use of fossil fuels). DISCOMs are central to this journey but will require a shift in their structure and functioning — digitalisation, smart grids, integrating solar rooftop systems, electric vehicle adoption, and demand-side management programmes supported by strong monitoring and evaluation systems. The authors navigate various challenges and opportunities for DISCOMs as they become ready to play a bigger role in helping India transition to clean energy in this chapter.
