Model cities: Leading the battle for sustainability

"THE greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it." This quote by Robert Swan, an environmental activist, resonates with the need for everyone's involvement in addressing the crisis we currently face. While there have been many advancements in sustainable development in recent years, the reality is that the pace of change isn't enough to meet the challenges posed by climate change today.

The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change stated that limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels is a global imperative to avoid catastrophic consequences. At the pace that the nations are going, it is projected that global warming will exceed the target limit by 2030, according to experts. This calls for far more than what is currently being achieved.