Civic Sanskriti: Choose wisely, the next elected body must set us right on climate action

The upcoming elections, the public representatives we choose, and their performance from 2022 to 2027 will be crucial to address critical contemporary challenges such as economic recovery from the pandemic and climate action

The upcoming elections, the public representatives we choose, and their performance from 2022 to 2027 will be crucial to address critical contemporary challenges such as economic recovery from the pandemic and climate action. Election manifestos must present the parties’ proposed policy directions and show wisdom and commitment to sustainability.

Political parties must craft their elected civic body manifestos to address climate change. (SHUTTERSTOCK (FOR REPRESENTATIONAL PURPOSE))

The public on its part must assess election promises for development projects carefully. We should become system thinkers and critical thinkers to check if proposals really improve wellbeing and reduce carbon emissions and other negative environmental impacts.

We will need to be wary of false solutions, an example of which I describe below. But first, indulge me for a quick reminder of what travel (or not) in Pune needs to look like, the sooner the better.

Back-cast the future

Sustainability thinkers use “backcasting” as a tool – visualise the future and work backwards to devise the projects we should take up today, and to change unsustainable behaviours and investments. For example, by 2027, we should expect the city’s transport system to be climate-friendly, safe, stress-free (no driving road rage) and affordable. And we should have changed, stopped or reduced the policies, projects and behaviours that are getting us into trouble

We envision a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from transport. Private transport is known to be the biggest contributor. Thus, public transport would have excellent frequency and connectivity across the city such that people would happily ditch bikes and cars and take the bus instead.

Road space would be mainly for walking and cycling. At crossings, pedestrians and cyclists would occasionally stop to allow buses and the few vehicles to pass. We would be able to reach bus and metro stations with a short walk, cycle ride or auto-shuttle trip.

Opportunities to work without travelling much would continue and become better. We would be able to access most daily needs without private motor vehicles.

Our city government needs to work backwards from such a scenario (already envisioned in Pune’s mobility plan, cycle plan, street design guidelines). So now, it should implement critical actions – an extensive bus fleet, efficient management, and road design supportive of sustainable mobility.

False solutions

Unfortunately, instead of envisioning and acting for a sustainable future, false solutions are peddled out. For example, a proposal for a “neo-metro” with elevated roads on which trolleybuses will run appears to show that folks are thinking about public transport. In fact, it indicates the thinking that roads will remain congested with motor vehicles and that buses can have a rapid run only if there are elevated roads.

Worse, a need for elevated roads (built at a huge public expense) is projected for public transport, but actually private motor vehicles will get a free run. Two lanes of the elevated neo-metro road are proposed as private motor vehicle lanes.

Though the stated intent is to provide public transport, precious public funds will subsidise private transportation. Do we really need to be stuck with road construction for several years only to still be driving or riding? That is not a future we should aim for.

We cannot afford to waste time and scarce resources on fake solutions that increase carbon emissions, congestion and crashes, and make the real solutions much more difficult to implement.

Responsible decisions needed

We hope political parties will take the challenge of sustainable mobility seriously and reduce the city’s carbon footprint in the next five to seven years.

The IPCC’s Code Red has signalled that governments and communities at all levels must take urgent steps to reduce carbon emissions. Since time is of the essence, the upcoming elections are crucial for Pune’s future.

Pune should emulate the municipal corporation of Greater Mumbai that has just launched a climate action planning process. It focuses on waste management, sustainable mobility, clean energy, urban floods and water management, urban green cover and biodiversity, and air quality. The PMC’s Resilience Plan prepared as part of the 100 Resilient Cities programme already covers such areas and can be the basis for Pune’s climate action plan. Pune now needs to go beyond the excellent plans it develops, to allocating municipal budgets and timelines, and ensuring implementation.

Political parties must craft their manifestos keeping environmental sustainability and peoples’ wellbeing at the core. We expect the next city government to firmly set Pune on a course of sustainable development.