Understanding the Future | Season 3

Dr. Chandni Singh is a Senior Researcher at the School of Environment and Sustainability at IIHS and a lead author at IPCC. In this episode, ‘Understanding The Adaptation Pathways For India’ with Dr. Chandni Singh, she scientifically explained the basics of adaptation, and what risks and impacts are there in this regard.

She talked about how adaptation came into being and also helped us understand the difference between adaptation and adaptive capacity. She further tries to quantify adaptation on the macro scale and discussed the IPCC working group one and two reports which lay out the landscape of the world with increasing climate risks and impacts. She additionally discussed the loss and damage fund announced during COP 27 and explained how they are defined for any country. She also discussed the examples and case studies, which showcase solutions in bringing better resilience in urban as well as rural sectors across the world as well as loss and damage across other sectors. She further helps us understand resilience in Urban India from the financial point of view. Lastly, we discussed the different skill sets required to work in this field to develop good solutions as well as good research considering massive developments are taking place at a high pace in India.

You can listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Gaana, JioSaavn & Youtube. Also, follow Climate Centre for Cities on Social Media for more updates on podcasts, blogs, and newsletters.

Respective links can be accessed here: https://linktr.ee/ccube

To know more about the Climate Centre for Cities: http://c-cube.niua.org/

To know more about the Climate Practitioners India Network (CPIN):  https://niua.in/c-cube/climate-practitioners-india-network

Special thanks to the members of the Design Team, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), and Climate Centre for Cities for their constant support. Also, a special mention to Manjaree Dutta and Arunav Moitra for supporting the development of the podcast. The podcast is conceptualised, produced & hosted by Punit Gandhi: https://www.punitgandhi.com/

Music Credits: Navdeep Music https://www.navdeepmusic.com/

Disclaimer: Climate Centre for Cities (C-Cube) is providing this podcast as a public service, but it is neither a legal interpretation nor a statement of C-Cube's policy. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the C-Cube. The views expressed by guests are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by C-Cube employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the view of the C-Cube or any of its officials.

Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra is the Technical Advisor to the NIUA and was previously the Director General for the National Mission on Clean Ganga. In this episode, ‘Understanding The Urban River Management Plan’ with Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, he helps us understand in-depth Urban River Management and why it has become a necessity for our cities and challenges due to urban sprawls. He explained how we can clean our rivers, and water bodies and develop an alliance for the cities on the same river.

We discussed in-depth working on the basin and sub-basin levels, how to effectively manage STPs of various capacities, and how we can move towards integrated urban water management. We discussed the need for healthy rivers and developing public-private partnerships in developing the infrastructure to manage the water and developing the whole ecosystem of river management. We further discussed the new innovations and leveraging the river without harming the river. He also helped us understand the administration challenges, and how city officials can take the initiative from the Urban River Management Plan and its other guidelines for the benefit of the city. We also discussed the concept called River Cities, how it functions, what are the initiatives, and what is its reception on the field. Lastly, we discussed the different skill sets required to develop a good Urban River Management Plan.

You can listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Gaana, JioSaavn & Youtube. Also, follow Climate Centre for Cities on Social Media for more updates on podcasts, blogs, and newsletters.

Respective links can be accessed here: https://linktr.ee/ccube

To know more about the Climate Centre for Cities: http://c-cube.niua.org/

To know more about the Climate Practitioners India Network (CPIN):  https://niua.in/c-cube/climate-practitioners-india-network

Special thanks to the members of the Design Team, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), and Climate Centre for Cities for their constant support. Also, a special mention to Manjaree Dutta and Arunav Moitra for supporting the development of the podcast. The podcast is conceptualised, produced & hosted by Punit Gandhi: https://www.punitgandhi.com/

Music Credits: Navdeep Music https://www.navdeepmusic.com/

Disclaimer: Climate Centre for Cities (C-Cube) is providing this podcast as a public service, but it is neither a legal interpretation nor a statement of C-Cube's policy. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the C-Cube. The views expressed by guests are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by C-Cube employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the view of the C-Cube or any of its officials.

Shyamasis Das is an  Independent Consultant with the World Bank Group and WRI. In this episode, ‘Understanding The Future of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure in India’ with Shyamasis Das, he helps with the current challenges and potential solutions to improve the Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure in India.

We started our discussion with the current challenges being faced in the grid electricity distribution and the growing load on the transformers. We further discussed the need for dynamic tariffs for EV charging and ways to modulate the charging speed of the chargers. We also discussed the ways in which we can increase the charging speeds at the charging stations within the city to reduce long queues as well as the option of charging at the offices, parking lots, and battery swapping. He further helped us understand attracting private capital for creating the charging infrastructure, as well as ways to increase the share of renewable energy in EV charging. He also talked about the regulatory challenges that vary from state to state. We discussed the future of public charging infrastructure will look like in 2030 and the role that IoT devices can play in changing the landscape of public charging with the huge participation from different stakeholders. Lastly, we discussed the different skill sets required to develop sophisticated, dynamic and cost-effective EV charging infrastructure in India.

You can listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Gaana, JioSaavn & Youtube. Also, follow Climate Centre for Cities on Social Media for more updates on podcasts, blogs and newsletters.

Respective links can be accessed here: https://linktr.ee/ccube

To know more about the Climate Centre for Cities: http://c-cube.niua.org/

To know more about the Climate Practitioners India Network (CPIN):  https://niua.in/c-cube/climate-practitioners-india-network

Special thanks to the members of the Design Team, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and Climate Centre for Cities for their constant support. Also, a special mention to Manjaree Dutta and Arunav Moitra for supporting the development of the podcast. The podcast is conceptualised, produced & hosted by Punit Gandhi: https://www.punitgandhi.com/

Music Credits: Navdeep Music https://www.navdeepmusic.com/

Disclaimer: Climate Centre for Cities (C-Cube) is providing this podcast as a public service, but it is neither a legal interpretation nor a statement of C-Cube's policy. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the C-Cube. The views expressed by guests are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by C-Cube employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the view of the C-Cube or any of its officials.

Manish Dabkara is the CMD and CEO of EKI Energy Services Limited. In this episode, ‘Understanding The Future of Carbon Markets’ with Manish Dabkara, he helps us understand the development of carbon markets, how they function and how Indian companies and cities can maximize on the same.

We started the discussion on the United Nations Framework Convention For Climate Change and how things developed afterwards with regard to limiting the emission of greenhouse gases. We also discussed about the different types of carbon markets currently in operation, and how they work. We also discussed the ways in which trading of carbon credits is done, the processes involved, its standards and verification mechanisms as well as its fees, and other regulations. Then he helped us in understanding the differences between the standards and how the buying & selling of carbon credits take place. Then we discussed the current state of affairs in India and how it is developing its own carbon trading market. He also told us about the things which were not successful in the west or different parts of the world in regard to carbon markets and how we can not repeat those mistakes. Lastly, we discussed the different skill sets required that anyone would need to be able to work in this field.

You can listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Gaana, JioSaavn & Youtube. Also, follow Climate Centre for Cities on Social Media for more updates on podcasts, blogs and newsletters.

Respective links can be accessed here: https://linktr.ee/ccube

To know more about the Climate Centre for Cities: http://c-cube.niua.org/

To know more about the Climate Practitioners India Network (CPIN):  https://niua.in/c-cube/climate-practitioners-india-network

Special thanks to the members of the Design Team, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and Climate Centre for Cities for their constant support. Also, a special mention to Manjaree Dutta and Arunav Moitra for supporting the development of the podcast. The podcast is conceptualised, produced & hosted by Punit Gandhi: https://www.punitgandhi.com/

Music Credits: Navdeep Music https://www.navdeepmusic.com/

Disclaimer: Climate Centre for Cities (C-Cube) is providing this podcast as a public service, but it is neither a legal interpretation nor a statement of C-Cube's policy. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the C-Cube. The views expressed by guests are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by C-Cube employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the view of the C-Cube or any of its officials.

Vishwanath S is the Trustee with Biome Environmental Trust, Bangalore. In this episode, ‘Understanding The Future of Water Security In Cities’ with Vishwanath S, he helps us understand how we can develop water security in India and what the different aspects related to its operations, maintenance and finances are.

We started our discussion by understanding the different sources of water for a city and how the sources differ from the cities. We discussed the need for rainwater harvesting and how it can be done in cities with many high-rise buildings. We also understood water conservation in slums and low-income areas. Then he helped us in understanding the need for a 24x7 clean water supply and how we can develop systems to achieve it. Further, we will talk about energy efficiency, water fee and the economic cost of borewells and water pumping followed by sewage treatment plants, stormwater drainage and why wastewater treatment is as important as providing clean water 24x7. We also talked about bringing behavioural change, increased investments and designing our cities in more efficient ways with master plans. We also discussed the phenomenon of rapid urban flooding and how we can address this problem. Lastly, we discussed the different skill sets required to develop water security in our cities

You can listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Gaana, JioSaavn & Youtube. Also, follow Climate Centre for Cities on Social Media for more updates on podcasts, blogs and newsletters.

Respective links can be accessed here: https://linktr.ee/ccube

To know more about the Climate Centre for Cities: http://c-cube.niua.org/

To know more about the Climate Practitioners India Network (CPIN):  https://niua.in/c-cube/climate-practitioners-india-network

Special thanks to the members of the Design Team, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and Climate Centre for Cities for their constant support. Also, a special mention to Manjaree Dutta and Arunav Moitra for supporting the development of the podcast. The podcast is conceptualised, produced & hosted by Punit Gandhi: https://www.punitgandhi.com/

Music Credits: Navdeep Music https://www.navdeepmusic.com/

Disclaimer: Climate Centre for Cities (C-Cube) is providing this podcast as a public service, but it is neither a legal interpretation nor a statement of C-Cube's policy. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the C-Cube. The views expressed by guests are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by C-Cube employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the view of the C-Cube or any of its officials.

Rajan Rawal is the Senior Advisor at the Centre for Advanced Research in Building Science and Energy (CARBSE) and a CRDF Professor at CEPT University. In this episode, ‘Understanding The Future of the Built Environment’, Rajan Rawal, helps us understand the deeper meaning of the built environment, open spaces, how to move towards energy efficiency, thermal comfort for the people, and NetZero Carbon and the roles of Urban Local Body in the same.

We discussed in-depth quantifying NetZero Carbon targets, floor space, footprint, and characteristics of the built environment, especially the buildings. He talked about embodied energy and operational energy and how to understand the thermal characteristics of buildings. We also discussed the ways to get data for achieving the NetZero goals and how that data can help us to move forward. He helped us in understanding the different metrics such as Energy Performance Index and  Energy Use Intensity (EUI). We further discussed ways to decrease discomfort in cities and different strategies to increase efficiency with respect to western countries. In great detail, we also discussed the pros and cons of solar photovoltaics on rooftops. We talked about embodied carbon energy, ways to reduce overall energy consumption and how the Urban Local Body can be instrumental in reaching NetZero targets. Lastly, we discussed what are the different skill sets required now to make sure that things are in place to make a Net Zero built environment for the future.

You can listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Gaana, JioSaavn & Youtube. Also, follow Climate Centre for Cities on Social Media for more updates on podcasts, blogs and newsletters.

Respective links can be accessed here: https://linktr.ee/ccube

To know more about the Climate Centre for Cities: http://c-cube.niua.org/

To know more about the Climate Practitioners India Network (CPIN):  https://niua.in/c-cube/climate-practitioners-india-network

Special thanks to the members of the Design Team, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and Climate Centre for Cities for their constant support. Also, a special mention to Manjaree Dutta and Arunav Moitra for supporting the development of the podcast. The podcast is conceptualised, produced & hosted by Punit Gandhi: https://www.punitgandhi.com/

Music Credits: Navdeep Music https://www.navdeepmusic.com/

Disclaimer: Climate Centre for Cities (C-Cube) is providing this podcast as a public service, but it is neither a legal interpretation nor a statement of C-Cube's policy. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the C-Cube. The views expressed by guests are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by C-Cube employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the view of the C-Cube or any of its officials.

Rushad Nanavatty is the Managing Director of the Cities Program (Urban Transformation) at the Rocky Mountain Institute. In this episode, ‘Understanding The Future of Urban Cooling In India’, Rushad Nanavatty, helps us understand the deeper meaning of urban cooling, why it’s important for India, what are its implications and how we can achieve this in our cities.

We discussed in-depth the reasons behind why cities are heating up and what are the factors that are contributing to the rise in the temperatures. We also discussed the ways in which urban cooling can become a mainstream thing for India. He helped us in understanding the connections between the building units, the built environment, the energy system, nature,  and how we can work across these sectors to solve the challenge. We further discussed cross-sectional administration opportunities, behaviour change in consumers, new technologies, green spaces, city scale and planning and how planning supports the whole ecosystem development around expanding cities. Lastly, we discussed what are the different kinds of skill sets we need to solve the problem in the next three to five years.

You can listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Gaana, JioSaavn & Youtube. Also, follow Climate Centre for Cities on Social Media for more updates on podcasts, blogs and newsletters.

Respective links can be accessed here: https://linktr.ee/ccube

To know more about the Climate Centre for Cities: http://c-cube.niua.org/

To know more about the Climate Practitioners India Network (CPIN):  https://niua.in/c-cube/climate-practitioners-india-network

Special thanks to the members of the Design Team, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and Climate Centre for Cities for constant support. Also, a special mention to Manjaree Dutta and Arunav Moitra for supporting the development of the podcast. The podcast is conceptualised, produced & hosted by Punit Gandhi: https://www.punitgandhi.com/

Music Credits: Navdeep Music https://www.navdeepmusic.com/

Disclaimer: Climate Centre for Cities (C-Cube) is providing this podcast as a public service, but it is neither a legal interpretation nor a statement of C-Cube's policy. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the C-Cube. The views expressed by guests are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by C-Cube employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the view of the C-Cube or any of its officials.

Gautam John is the CEO, of Rohini Nilekani Philanthropy Foundation. In this episode, ‘Understanding The Future of Role of Citizens In Cities’, Gautam John, helps us understand the role of citizens in the urban context with regards to policy development, active participation in governance, electoral engagements and more importantly, how they can be empowered.

We discussed in-depth the different sectors that are required for citizens to be empowered. We also discussed different organisations for creating awareness, facilitating connection, building capacity and driving awareness to empower the citizens. He further explained the work being done by different organisations on the ground to bring together communities, and problems solving and make them aware of their roles and duties. We also discussed the ways in which citizens do not become just become beneficiaries of government but are the participating people to develop those cities, from the grassroots perspective. We emphasised challenges created by the increasing population and the impact of mass migration to the cities. We further discussed co-creation with citizens, and what are the different things that the government or an administrativein body can think of for co-creation. Further, we had in-depth conversations on resilience, Samaj, Sarkar & Bazaar and the technologies that can assist citizens, keeping in mind the vast diversity that exists in India. Lastly, we discussed what are the different skill sets that would be required for the future to lead any kind of citizen movement or empowerment.

You can listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Gaana, JioSaavn & Youtube. Also, follow Climate Centre for Cities on Social Media for more updates on podcasts, blogs and newsletters.

Respective links can be accessed here: https://linktr.ee/ccube

To know more about the Climate Centre for Cities: http://c-cube.niua.org/

To know more about the Climate Practitioners India Network (CPIN):  https://niua.in/c-cube/climate-practitioners-india-network

Special thanks to the members of the Design Team, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and Climate Centre for Cities for constant support. Also, a special mention to Manjaree Dutta and Arunav Moitra for supporting the development of the podcast. The podcast is conceptualised, produced & hosted by Punit Gandhi: https://www.punitgandhi.com/

Music Credits: Navdeep Music https://www.navdeepmusic.com/

Disclaimer: Climate Centre for Cities (C-Cube) is providing this podcast as a public service, but it is neither a legal interpretation nor a statement of C-Cube's policy. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the C-Cube. The views expressed by guests are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by C-Cube employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the view of the C-Cube or any of its officials.

Dr Poornima Prabhakaran is the Additional Professor and Deputy Director, Centre for Environmental Health at the Public Health Foundation of India. This episode, ‘Understanding the Future of Public Health and Climate Change’, with Dr Poornima Prabhakaran, helps us understand the aspect of public health, its effect due to climate change, capacity constraints and sustainable infrastructure requirements.

We discussed in-depth what public health actually means and its different components. We also discussed the different elements of public infrastructure and the need for capacity building for good public health infrastructure. She further explained the double whammy and triple whammy for India through the disease lens. We discussed mapping the spread of different kinds of diseases and finding out the reasons for their increase. We also discussed what kind of health hazards a city needs to prepare for by taking Delhi as an example. She further emphasised the different kinds of vulnerability assessments and the need for capacity building to scale it up from one city to another. Additionally, she discussed the major challenges for the infrastructure from the flood perspective and how we can fight against the vector-borne diseases resulting from floods. Further, we had in-depth conversations on health hazards, infrastructural capacity, startups and the possibility of privatisation in the public health sector. Lastly, we discussed what are the different skill sets that would be required for public health in general and some specific professional skill sets that need to be developed.

You can listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Gaana, JioSaavn & Youtube. Also, follow Climate Centre for Cities on Social Media for more updates on podcasts, blogs and newsletters.

Respective links can be accessed here: https://linktr.ee/ccube

To know more about the Climate Centre for Cities: http://c-cube.niua.org/

To know more about the Climate Practitioners India Network (CPIN):  https://niua.in/c-cube/climate-practitioners-india-network

Special thanks to the members of the Design Team, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and Climate Centre for Cities for constant support. Also, a special mention to Manjaree Dutta and Arunav Moitra for supporting the development of the podcast. The podcast is conceptualised, produced & hosted by Punit Gandhi: https://www.punitgandhi.com/

Music Credits: Navdeep Music https://www.navdeepmusic.com/

Disclaimer: Climate Centre for Cities (C-Cube) is providing this podcast as a public service, but it is neither a legal interpretation nor a statement of C-Cube's policy. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the C-Cube. The views expressed by guests are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by C-Cube employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the view of the C-Cube or any of its officials.

Dr Minal Pathak is a Senior Scientist of Working Group 3 of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC - United Nations Body) and an Associate Professor at Ahmedabad University. In this episode, ‘Understanding the Future of Science-based Targets’, with Dr Minal Pathak, we started the discussion by understanding the importance of mitigating climate change and different aspects that India can focus on to mitigate climate change.

She helps us understand the IPCC in detail, what are the different working groups, and the different chapters of the report. Further, we discussed the challenges and gaps that are there to be filled to reach the climate goals and how different countries are progressing. We also discussed the challenges faced by the Mitigation Working Group and understood it from a global and national level. We delved into the major climate challenges that India faces, different ways to mitigate and the role of technology in it. We also had in-depth conversations on Net Zero, and CCS (carbon capture and storage). Further, we also talked about the behaviour problem from an Indian context and how people can be made more aware of climate disasters happening regularly. Lastly, we discussed what are the different skill sets that would be required for tackling climate change in India and more importantly from the mitigation perspective.

You can listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Gaana, JioSaavn & Youtube. Also, follow Climate Centre for Cities on Social Media for more updates on podcasts, blogs and newsletters.

Respective links can be accessed here: https://linktr.ee/ccube

To know more about the Climate Centre for Cities: http://c-cube.niua.org/

To know more about the Climate Practitioners India Network (CPIN):  https://niua.in/c-cube/climate-practitioners-india-network

Special thanks to the members of the Design Team, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and Climate Centre for Cities for constant support. Also, a special mention to Manjaree Dutta and Arunav Moitra for supporting the development of the podcast. The podcast is conceptualised, produced & hosted by Punit Gandhi: https://www.punitgandhi.com/

Music Credits: Navdeep Music https://www.navdeepmusic.com/

Disclaimer: Climate Centre for Cities (C-Cube) is providing this podcast as a public service, but it is neither a legal interpretation nor a statement of C-Cube's policy. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the C-Cube. The views expressed by guests are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by C-Cube employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the view of the C-Cube or any of its officials.

Viraj Tyagi is the CEO of the eGovernments Foundation. In this episode of, ‘Understanding the Future of Digitising Municipal Services’, with Viraj Tyagi, we discussed why digitization is so important for India, and what will be the result of digitising municipal services for the common man and how are we progressing to achieve this goal.

He starts the conversation by helping us understand the different kinds of services that come under Municipal Services and all things that are encompassed in the digitization ambit. Then we discussed the technology aspect and the possibility to develop and adopt sophisticated municipal services mechanisms at the mass level in cities across India. We further talked about the mapping of the services happening in each city and their function. We also talked about the transition from paper to paperless for bringing the services to the people. He further elaborated on the role of visual design, transparency, ease of use and quick redressal of the grievances. He explained about stopping the leakage and breaking the interdepartmental silos. At last, we discussed the lines of hard skills and soft skills required to be able to work in this field of digitising Municipal Services

You can listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Gaana, JioSaavn & Youtube. Also, follow Climate Centre for Cities on Social Media for more updates on podcasts, blogs and newsletters.

Respective links can be accessed here: https://linktr.ee/ccube

To know more about the Climate Centre for Cities: http://c-cube.niua.org/

To know more about the Climate Practitioners India Network (CPIN):  https://niua.in/c-cube/climate-practitioners-india-network

Special thanks to the members of the Design Team, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and Climate Centre for Cities for constant support. Also, a special mention to Manjaree Dutta and Arunav Moitra for supporting the development of the podcast. The podcast is conceptualised, produced & hosted by Punit Gandhi: https://www.punitgandhi.com/

Music Credits: Navdeep Music https://www.navdeepmusic.com/

Disclaimer: Climate Centre for Cities (C-Cube) is providing this podcast as a public service, but it is neither a legal interpretation nor a statement of C-Cube's policy. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the C-Cube. The views expressed by guests are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by C-Cube employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the view of the C-Cube or any of its officials.

Dr Chintan Vaishnav is the Mission Director of Atal Innovation Mission at the NITI Aayog, Government of India. In this episode, ‘Understanding the Future of Developing Cities As Innovation Factories’, with Dr Chintan Vaishnav, we discussed in-depth about bringing academics, governments and the MSME sector together to develop contextualized innovation for India. Further, we also discussed Climate Change Innovations, Deep-Tech, Open Source software and Data Privacy.

He helps us understand what are the kinds of challenges that the Atal Innovation Mission is solving. Further, we discussed how to develop a robust innovation ecosystem in the country so that every household can think of Indian innovations. We also discussed bringing Deep-Tech Innovations to India and how AIM Prime Program was run in collaboration with Venture Centre in Pune at the National Chemical Laboratories, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the office of the Principal Scientific Advisor to encourage the same. We also talked about bringing more academic labs, urban local bodies and the role that the MSME sector plays in nurturing startups & innovations. We delved into the possibility of creating a bigger MSME sector which is more research and innovation based. We also had in-depth conversations on data privacy, open source software and how can we solve bigger problems like Climate Change. Lastly, we discussed what are the different skill sets that would be required to develop cities as an innovation factory for India.

You can listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Gaana, JioSaavn & Youtube. Also, follow Climate Centre for Cities on Social Media for more updates on podcasts, blogs and newsletters.

Respective links can be accessed here: https://linktr.ee/ccube

To know more about the Climate Centre for Cities: http://c-cube.niua.org/

To know more about the Climate Practitioners India Network (CPIN):  https://niua.in/c-cube/climate-practitioners-india-network

Special thanks to the members of the Design Team, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and Climate Centre for Cities for constant support. Also, a special mention to Manjaree Dutta and Arunav Moitra for supporting the development of the podcast. The podcast is conceptualised, produced & hosted by Punit Gandhi: https://www.punitgandhi.com/

Music Credits: Navdeep Music https://www.navdeepmusic.com/

Disclaimer: Climate Centre for Cities (C-Cube) is providing this podcast as a public service, but it is neither a legal interpretation nor a statement of C-Cube's policy. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the C-Cube. The views expressed by guests are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by C-Cube employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the view of the C-Cube or any of its officials.

Naim Keruwala is the Program Director for CITIIS (City Investments To Innovate, Integrate and Sustain) at the NIUA. In this episode, ‘Understanding the Future of Innovation In City Governments’, with Naim Keruwala, we discussed aspects related to developing synergies across different stakeholders to develop innovation in city governments.

He helps us understand how normally a development project is taken up and how they are executed in the city governments as well as the problems and challenges in the existing system. Then we discussed the widespread HR and staffing challenges in the Municipal Corporations and local governments and how can we collaborate with citizens and academia for the same. We further talked about the missed opportunities in India’s R&D field and why we need a more India-centric knowledge base. Post which he explained more about CITIIS program, and how they implement the strategies, policies, guidebooks and frameworks on the ground. He also gave a lot of practical examples of the implementation of such strategies across different cities. He also explained the role of NIUA, the support he received and what will be happening in the CITIIS 2.0 program. We also talked about financial aspects, implementation of the project and how academia can support the same. He further elaborated on how cities innovate on their own, and how can those projects be able made to sustain themselves Additionally, we discussed the upscaling strategies for the framework to the other cities in India. Lastly, we discussed what are the different kinds of skill sets that are required to drive such a huge project from both the national level and city’s level.

You can listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Gaana, JioSaavn & Youtube. Also, follow Climate Centre for Cities on Social Media for more updates on podcasts, blogs and newsletters.

Respective links can be accessed here: https://linktr.ee/ccube

To know more about the Climate Centre for Cities: http://c-cube.niua.org/

To know more about the Climate Practitioners India Network (CPIN):  https://niua.in/c-cube/climate-practitioners-india-network

Special thanks to the members of the Design Team, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and Climate Centre for Cities for constant support. Also, a special mention to Manjaree Dutta and Arunav Moitra for supporting the development of the podcast. The podcast is conceptualised, produced & hosted by Punit Gandhi: https://www.punitgandhi.com/

Music Credits: Navdeep Music https://www.navdeepmusic.com/

Disclaimer: Climate Centre for Cities (C-Cube) is providing this podcast as a public service, but it is neither a legal interpretation nor a statement of C-Cube's policy. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the C-Cube. The views expressed by guests are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by C-Cube employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the view of the C-Cube or any of its officials.

Sameer Shisodia is CEO of Rainmatter Foundation. In this episode, ‘Understanding the Future of Funding Climate Innovations’, with Sameer Shisodia, we discussed how climate startups are creating an impact in India, the role of institutions, and what is the future interconnectedness of the solutions for climate change innovations.

We start the discussion by understanding the simple meaning of startups and what are the problems, opportunities and scope of innovation for today’s startups and entrepreneurs. Then we discussed the aspects related to funding the startups and developing an ecosystem. Then we talked about the sectors which are in need of climate change innovations, how we can build up according to new challenges and how the thought process can be inculcated across different verticals. We further talked about the role that different kinds of institutions play, the impact of their coming together and how interconnectedness can be leveraged in developing better solutions. Further, the discussion moved towards the investment and funding point of view and how can organisations develop solutions for long-term goals. Then we talked about the urban problems, realities of the urban ecosystem and challenges with the energy-food-water nexus. We also discussed the financial feasibility and viability of climate solutions and looked at it from the ROI (Return on Investment) perspective. Further, we talked about the investment in this ecosystem on a short-term, mid-term and long-term basis and how behaviour and systematic changes can be brought. Lastly, we discussed the different skill sets that are required in the field, how things change rapidly and why you need to learn & unlearn quickly to sustain.

You can listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Gaana, JioSaavn & Youtube. Also, follow Climate Centre for Cities on Social Media for more updates on podcasts, blogs and newsletters.

Respective links can be accessed here: https://linktr.ee/ccube

To know more about the Climate Centre for Cities: http://c-cube.niua.org/

To know more about the Climate Practitioners India Network (CPIN):  https://niua.in/c-cube/climate-practitioners-india-network

Special thanks to the members of the Design Team, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and Climate Centre for Cities for constant support. Also, a special mention to Manjaree Dutta and Arunav Moitra for supporting the development of the podcast. The podcast is conceptualised, produced & hosted by Punit Gandhi: https://www.punitgandhi.com/

Music Credits: Navdeep Music https://www.navdeepmusic.com/

Disclaimer: Climate Centre for Cities (C-Cube) is providing this podcast as a public service, but it is neither a legal interpretation nor a statement of C-Cube's policy. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the C-Cube. The views expressed by guests are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by C-Cube employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the view of the C-Cube or any of its officials.

Sonal Shah is Executive Director for the Centre of Sustainable and Equitable Cities And Founder of the Urban Catalysts. In this episode, ‘Understanding the Future of Gender, Transport and Cities’, with Sonal Shah, we discuss the importance of transport in any city, the meaning of sustainable transport and how gender diversity and easy movement of different kinds of people are significant.

We start the discussion by understanding why an efficient, seamless, affordable mobility system is the backbone of any city and why there should be an emphasis on the use of more sustainable modes of transport catering to different groups of people. Then we discuss the need for proper public infrastructure and the role of gender dimensions in the same. We further talked about the Metro Rail systems, their importance for different gender groups, and how we can improve on them. Further, the discussion moved towards Transit-oriented Development and how it will contribute to the overall development of the city infrastructure for different sets of people. Then we talked about how COVID has impacted the whole equation of transport of inequality in gender. We also talked about the role of the city, state, or national government, how they can come up with a national urban transport policy, and how to implement it in the cities. Then we discussed the data and how it can benefit us in formulating specific gender-oriented policies. Lastly, we talked about the need for different skill sets, hard and soft skills for planning and policy development.

You can listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Gaana, JioSaavn & Youtube. Also, follow Climate Centre for Cities on Social Media for more updates on podcasts, blogs and newsletters.

Respective links can be accessed here: https://linktr.ee/ccube

To know more about the Climate Centre for Cities: http://c-cube.niua.org/

To know more about the Climate Practitioners India Network (CPIN):  https://niua.in/c-cube/climate-practitioners-india-network

Special thanks to the members of the Design Team, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and Climate Centre for Cities for constant support. Also, a special mention to Manjaree Dutta and Arunav Moitra for supporting the development of the podcast. The podcast is conceptualised, produced & hosted by Punit Gandhi: https://www.punitgandhi.com/

Music Credits: Navdeep Music https://www.navdeepmusic.com/

Disclaimer: Climate Centre for Cities (C-Cube) is providing this podcast as a public service, but it is neither a legal interpretation nor a statement of C-Cube's policy. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the C-Cube. The views expressed by guests are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by C-Cube employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the view of the C-Cube or any of its officials.

Abhishek Ranjan is VP of Systems Operation, Power Markets and Head, Renewable Smart and DSM projects at BSES, Delhi. In this episode, ‘Understanding the Future of Urban Smart Grids’, with Abhishek Ranjan, we discuss the meaning of urban smart grids & contextualise that from the Indian perspective.

We start the discussion by understanding what the urban smart grid actually means, and how it can be translated to the ground in regards to the smart ecosystem and convenience to the consumers. Then we discuss the progress made by the Indian Ecosystem at the national, state and city level to establish smart grid systems. We further discuss the role of state and union governments in working on drafting new regulations, pushing for policy frameworks, and bringing new technologies into the power sector to decarbonize the sector. Further, the discussion steers towards understanding the energy goals for 2030 and how India is moving ahead with its own targets. We also discuss the role of new technologies in energy efficiency and renewable energy integration goals along with providing consumers with a choice of opting for green energy. Then we take a look at the role that Municipal Corporations play, advancements that have taken place in Delhi and how they can be scaled to other cities in India. Lastly, we talk about financial innovations, the need for developing different skill sets, and why you have to keep on learning and unlearning things in this field.

You can listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Gaana, JioSaavn & Youtube. Also, follow Climate Centre for Cities on Social Media for more updates on podcasts, blogs and newsletters.

Respective links can be accessed here: https://linktr.ee/ccube

To know more about the Climate Centre for Cities: http://c-cube.niua.org/

To know more about the Climate Practitioners India Network (CPIN):  https://niua.in/c-cube/climate-practitioners-india-network

Special thanks to the members of the Design Team, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and Climate Centre for Cities for constant support. Also, a special mention to Manjaree Dutta and Arunav Moitra for supporting the development of the podcast. The podcast is conceptualised, produced & hosted by Punit Gandhi: https://www.punitgandhi.com/

Music Credits: Navdeep Music https://www.navdeepmusic.com/

Disclaimer: Climate Centre for Cities (C-Cube) is providing this podcast as a public service, but it is neither a legal interpretation nor a statement of C-Cube's policy. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the C-Cube. The views expressed by guests are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by C-Cube employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the view of the C-Cube or any of its officials.