Assessing the Role of Urban Planning Policies in Meeting Climate Change Mitigation Goals in Indian Cities

Abstract

Climate change is a multidimensional observable fact and is regarded as one of the greatest challenges human society is facing in the 21st century. Debates on climate change advocate that urban areas not only contribute to climate change by emitting huge amounts of carbon dioxide gas into the atmosphere, but also play a vital role in addressing climate change. In the context of rapidly evolving policy frameworks in India, this research assessed whether urban planning policies in master plans target climate change mitigation. The research undertook a quantitative and qualitative content analysis of the policy framework of sampled master plans and developed climate change mitigation indexes by assessing urban policies against climate change mitigation evaluation protocols. Results derived from the climate change mitigation index—consisting of various urban planning components and implementation indicators—reflect the abilities of a master plan to respond to climate change mitigation in India. Results highlight the use of master plans as an effective tool in mitigating climate change, thereby promoting low-carbon regions through urban planning. This research has an implication for integrating climate change mitigation in urban planning policies, thereby emphasizing the application of urban planning as a policy tool for mitigating climate change.