In a major step toward addressing India’s pressing urban climate challenges, the University of Toronto India Foundation (UTIF), in partnership with IIT Madras’ School of Sustainability and the University of Toronto’s School of Cities, officially inaugurated the Cities of Care Conference at the IIT Madras Research Park.

The two-day summit brought together over 90 global researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders to move the needle from climate “ambition” to tangible “delivery.” The event focused on the critical Water–Food–Waste Nexus, exploring how integrated systems can build resilience in Indian cities where the urban population is projected to nearly double to 951 million by 2050.

Key Launch: The “Sustainable India 2025” Report

A centerpiece of the conference was the unveiling of the Sustainable India 2025 country report by the global sustainability platform REVOLVE, in collaboration with UTIF. The comprehensive document provides a granular look at climate action across Indian states and cities, emphasizing that the country has entered a “decisive phase” of its energy transition.

Critical Insights from the Report:

• Energy Transition: While renewable capacity is soaring, the report warns that industrial decarbonization and energy efficiency must now take center stage.

• The “Himalayan Litmus Test”: Findings highlighted a “slow and scattered” implementation of the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Eco-system, calling for a decentralized early warning system to combat rising glacial disasters.

• Urban Infrastructure: With 144 million new homes needed by 2070, the report stresses that inclusive, people-centered urbanism is no longer optional.

From Lab to Market: The Call for Applied Research

During the inaugural session, Prof. Indumathi M Nambi of the School of Sustainability, IIT Madras, underscored the difficulty of the “lab-to-market” journey for climate tech. She urged for a shift in how research is funded and valued.

“We need platforms that educate researchers to work on real-world problems and bring businesses and academia together to fund applied technology. It is equally important to educate investors to value impact metrics alongside financial returns,” Prof. Nambi stated.

Prof. Joseph Wong, Vice President (International) at the University of Toronto, added that cross-border collaborations are essential because “no city stands alone” in the face of the global climate crisis.

Distinguished Speakers and Collaborations

The conference featured a high-powered lineup of climate advocates and experts, including:

• Dr. Supriya Sahu, IAS, Secretary, Department of Environment and Climate Change, Govt. of Tamil Nadu.

• Prof. Isha Ray, Energy and Resource Group, UC Berkeley.

• Mr. Takayuki Hagiwara, FAO Representative in India.

• Ms. Veena Srinivasan, Executive Director, WELL Labs.

A notable milestone of the event was the engagement with a Bhutanese delegation for a week-long program on “Startup Ecosystem Development and Acceleration,” highlighting IIT Madras’ growing role as a hub for regional capacity building in sustainability.

By: Vanshika Tayal