Take 12: What We Learnt from Our Podcast on Cities
The pandemic cemented the realization that business as usual cannot continue. For many, life slowed down enough to pause, reflect and join in the growing conversation about doing things differently, including the way our cities work. “What struck me most was that people, who weren’t planners or climate experts, were eager to leverage their expertise to make our cities more livable but didn’t know how to contribute, or whom to engage with,” says Jaya Dhindaw, Executive Director, Sustainable Cities, WRI India.
With India's urban population projected to reach over 800 million by 2050, and cities currently struggling to provide basic services, what does the future look like? This thought spurred Jaya to launch The Urban Q – WRI India’s podcast on “Talking Cities, Connecting People” which looks at the next iteration of Indian cities through the lens of climate change, equity, livability and economic productivity.
So, What Drives Cities that Thrive?
Cities exist to sustain economic activity, notes Shashi Verma, Chief Technology Officer, Transport for London. He highlights how the devolution of power by involving stakeholders at all levels, including at the neighborhood level, is key to fostering productivity and prosperity across a city.
However, as per Alain Bertaud, urbanist and Senior Fellow, NYU Marron Institute of Urban Management, urban planning often neglects market signals, people’s preferences and income levels, instead basing infrastructure on estimations that do not match ground realities. Planning and urban economics must combine to make cities affordable and enable labor markets to flourish.
Academician Dr. Jessica Seddon, Co-founder, The Institutional Architecture Lab re-examines the very definition of ‘urban’. While official figures say 31-36% of India's population is urban, some economic and social geography definitions estimate it to be double. A more accurate picture of urban India facilitates holistic planning and governance of services, as well as socioeconomic and ecological systems.
Growth for People and Planet
"Everyone wants development, but not at the cost of destroying our environment." Dr. H. Sudarshan Ballal, Chairperson of Manipal Hospitals Group, discusses climate change, pollution and congestion. He advocates for stronger collaborations between city authorities and the medical community to build capacity for preventative and affordable healthcare.
Rhett Ayers Butler, Founder of Mongabay, points towards green growth which balances prosperity and sustainability. An important aspect of this is approaching decision-makers with concise, jargon-free data that supports clear policy recommendations. Sharing tips for connecting with all audiences, he advises tailoring messages, telling human stories and giving hope.
Dr. Harini Nagendra, Director of Research & Centre for Climate Change, Azim Premji University, says that we can’t have infinite growth on a finite planet. Pricing natural resources implies that they are substitutable with money, but "what happens to the spiritual, sacred, health and recreational aspects?" she ponders. She urges planners and policymakers to integrate a human and ecological lens in city development.
Inclusivity is Key
Lora Prabhu, co-founder of Centre for Equity and Inclusion (CEQUIN), echoes this sentiment. "A city that works for an eight-year-old will work for all," she explains, driving home why cities must prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable citizens. She sees sports as a powerful tool of empowerment, transforming public spaces where women are usually excluded into environments where their presence is both commonplace and celebrated.
Dr. Inés Sánchez de Madariaga, UNESCO Chair on Gender, discusses ‘mobility of care,’ stressing the need for disaggregated data and a deeper understanding of the different travel patterns of women and men to better inform gender-responsive transport policy and mobility systems.
Dr. Enrique Peñalosa, former Mayor of Bogotá, Colombia, envisions cities where everyone can meet as equals. He inaugurated Bogotá's successful bus rapid transit (BRT) system, preceding Paris and London by a decade. The conversation reminded us that "a developed city is not one where the poor have cars but where the rich use public transport." He's hopeful that India's upcoming cities will be people-oriented, happier spaces.
Innovation and Technology - The Big Enablers
Resounding the call to eschew car-centric development, Professor Carlos Moreno, Scientific Director, Research Lab ETI, IAE Paris Sorbonne Business School, emphasizes technology as a tool to reimagine smarter, regenerative cities that prioritize the common good. Taking the technology theme ahead, Ravi Venkatesan, a tech industry veteran and Chairman, Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, observes that traditional ‘stable jobs’ are giving way to entrepreneurship, gig/contract work, and a new employment ecosystem that will drive sustainability and create more livable cities of the future that cater to the evolving aspirations of young people. Lending a health-focused viewpoint to cities, Anuradha Acharya, CEO of Mapmygenome reflects how genetics, environment, and lifestyle are interconnected and how biomarkers and leveraging genomic technologies can lead to healthier cities.
These conversations offer hope for our urban future, and while there are no simple solutions, we have the power to choose how we develop. We can learn from stories of people-first, sustainable growth worldwide and drive meaningful change by bringing together communities, technology and governance in new ways.
The new season of The Urban Q aims to bridge barriers that exist between people, nature and climate, and explore the possibilities and innovations that emerge from these intersections. The Urban Q 2025 promises an exciting new line-up with authors, business leaders and urbanists offering fresh perspectives — so stay tuned!
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