Workshop on ‘Connecting Circularity and Mobility Action for Clean Air in Cities’

The Sustainable Habitat Programme convened a conference titled “Connecting Circularity and Mobility Action for Clean Air in Cities” on January 27, 2025, at the Malviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT), Jaipur. The event saw the release of five key publications: ‘Closing the Material Loop - A Value and Trade Chain Assessment for Jaipur City’, ‘Planning and Designing Habitat in Climate-Risked Times: Heat toolkit’, ‘Action Tracker Clean Air and Electric Vehicle Programme in Rajasthan’, ‘Jaipur Gaps in Mobility Action for Clean Air’, and ‘Low Emission Zone: Opportunities and Impacts – The Case of Jaipur’.

The conference aimed to address critical challenges impacting urban air quality and focused on key assessments, including emissions inventories, source apportionment studies, and the formulation of actionable plans at city, state, and micro levels. Discussions highlighted solutions for managing construction and demolition (C&D) waste, mitigating the impacts of rapid urbanisation, phasing out legacy vehicles, and improving public transport infrastructure. The event brought together over 150 participants, including government officials, subject experts, academicians, practitioners, and researchers, fostering knowledge exchange and collaborative strategies for clean air action.

The workshop commenced with a welcome address by Prof. Tarush Chandra from the Department of Architecture and Planning at MNIT. He outlined MNIT’s initiatives in C&D waste management and their alignment with Rajasthan’s environmental priorities, reinforcing the institution’s commitment to sustainable urban development.

This was followed by Dr. Adarsh Pal Vig, Chairman of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), who shared Punjab’s initiatives under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) to reduce PM₁₀ concentrations across nine non-attainment cities. He discussed the ongoing source apportionment studies, which identified vehicular emissions, industrial emissions, and road dust as major contributors to air pollution, with variations across seasons and regions. Dr. Vig also mentioned the plan to establish 143 micro, 3 medium, and 3 major construction and demolition (C&D) waste management plants, emphasising that successful implementation is crucial. He stressed the importance of focusing on traditional waste management systems such as presence of mini forest, fountains, etc. to address these issues effectively. Additionally, Dr. Vig outlined Punjab’s progress in reducing stubble burning, which has contributed to improving the regional airshed.

This was followed by Mr. Vijai N., Member Secretary, Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board, who focused on the necessity of effective and timely interventions to tackle air pollution across five non-attainment cities. He stated that road dust remains the biggest contributor, followed by vehicular emissions and industrial activities. Jaipur currently has one C&D waste management plant and one waste-to-energy plant. The major interventions that the state has taken include enhanced or improved monitoring, with 46 stations across Rajasthan, of which six are in Jaipur. An additional 15 stations will be added, including four in Jaipur. Since June 2024, an early warning system has been in place, providing three-day air quality forecasts. Further improvements are being made with a decision support system that will identify pollution sources and suggest mitigation measures. Around 100 industrial units have been guided and have implemented pollution control measures. Additionally, 550 units have been connected to the Online Continuous Emission Monitoring System. Greening efforts have also been strengthened in industrial areas, common spaces, schools, and community lands, with 14 lakh trees planted over the past two years.

The session concluded with Ms. Anumita RoyChowdhury, Executive Director, Centre for Science and Environment summarising the key highlights of the released reports and delivering a vote of thanks to the dignitaries. This was followed by three technical themes.

The first theme, "Circularity for Clean Air," featured a lecture on ‘Closing the Material Loop’ delivered by Mr. Rajneesh Sareen, Programme Director, along with Ms. Mitashi Singh and Mr. Sugeet Grover, Programme Managers. They highlighted innovative strategies for managing C&D waste and dust, emphasising the importance of sustainable waste management systems in improving air quality, reducing pollution, and promoting resource conservation for cleaner, healthier cities. They also discussed CSE’s study on Jaipur’s construction value and trade chain, illustrating how materials are recovered and sold by the informal sector. The session underscored the need to formalise recycling practices, enhance C&D waste reutilisation, and promote greener construction to lower the sector’s carbon footprint.

The second theme, “Mobility Management for Clean Air,” focused on strategies to reduce transport-related air pollution, with an emphasis on electric mobility and effective parking management. This included discussions on the development of low-emission zones and the promotion of cleaner, sustainable transport solutions. The first lecture, ‘Potential of Developing Low-Emission Zones in Cities of Rajasthan with a Special Focus on Jaipur,’ was presented by Mr. Shubham Srivastava, Programme Officer. The session explored the impact of Low Emission Zones (LEZ) in Jaipur’s heritage area, analysing scenarios for priced and non-priced restrictions, stakeholder responses across vehicle categories, and providing policy recommendations. This was followed by a session on ‘Parking Management for Clean Air: Case Study of Jaipur’ by Ms. Richa Pandey, Deputy Programme Manager. She examined Jaipur’s parking challenges, highlighting its critical role in urban liveability and demonstrating that parking is not just a standalone issue but a contributor to broader urban challenges. She concluded by outlining development strategies for effective parking solutions. The final lecture under this theme, 'Electric Mobility for Clean Air – Lessons from Cities of Rajasthan,' was delivered by Mr. Rohit Garg, Programme Officer. He examined the impact of implementing Low Emission Zones (LEZ) in Jaipur’s heritage area, evaluating different restriction scenarios, stakeholder responses, and policy recommendations.

The final theme, “Clean Air and Climate Co-benefits and Airshed Management Approach,” examined the interconnected challenges of air pollution, heat management, and climate action. The first session, ‘Connecting Air Pollution and Heat Hotspots in Cities – Case of Jaipur,’ by Dr. Nimish Gupta, Deputy Programme Manager, focused on identifying heat zones in Jaipur and other Indian cities, analysing their links to air pollution and anthropogenic sources, and outlining priority mitigation strategies. This was followed by ‘Regional Airshed Management Approach for Clean Air in Cities,’ by Ms. Kalyani Tembhe, Deputy Programme Manager, who underscored the need for a regional airshed management framework to tackle local air pollution through coordinated efforts. These discussions highlighted the critical connections between air pollution, heat hotspots, and climate impacts while emphasising the role of regional collaboration in achieving cleaner and more sustainable cities.

The conference highlighted the need for integrated strategies to tackle air pollution and urban sustainability. Focused on circularity, mobility, and climate co-benefits, it emphasized actionable solutions for cleaner air and sustainable development. With a strong emphasis on collaboration and policy-driven interventions, the event reinforced the commitment to building resilient, livable cities and shaping a more effective clean air action agenda for Indian cities.