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Paper short abstract:

This paper explores green grab as a strategy of elite urbanism. To explore green grabbing by the elite, I study Jahanpanah forest vs Ravidas Temple case in Delhi. At the heart of this is Jahanpanah urban forest- a 435 acres large forest in the heart of Delhi, and a temple built at its periphery.

Paper long abstract:

This paper explores green grab- land grab for green-zone preservation (Holmes 2014)- as a strategy

of elite urbanism. While the concept of elite urbanism is often employed to note the development of

elite enclaves in the cities of the south (Pow 2011), here, I use the concept to capture the reinvention

of the normative frames of urban spaces (Ghertner 2015) in the wake of neoliberalization (Brenner et

al. 2010) of the Indian cities following the economic reforms since 1990s. The urban

spaces were reimagined in neoliberal terms in tune with the ambition of ‘global cities’ (Ghertner 2015,

Baviskar 2020). Accordingly, the process of green zoning in this context served dual functions for elite

neighbourhoods as an aesthetic infrastructure on the one hand, and a zone of separation from other

habitations on the other.

To explore the process of green grabbing on behalf of the elite, I study Jahanpanah forest vs Ravidas

Temple case in Delhi. At the heart of this case is Jahanpanah urban forest- a 435 acres large forest in

the heart of Delhi, and a temple built at its periphery. While the citizens of the elite neighbourhood

organized as ‘Friends of Jahanpanah’ alleged that Ravidas Temple venerated by subaltern (mostly

dalit) groups was illegally built on the land which was part of the forest, the temple supporters

contended that the construction of the temple precedes the green-zoning and the land title was

transferred to Saint Ravidas by the rulers of Delhi in the medieval period.

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Paper short abstract:

Learning from neighbouring India of its redistributive and restorative justice approach, Dhaka can strive towards a just urban development that benefits all residents, irrespective of their social or historical background.

Paper long abstract:

Dhaka, due to its heavy concentration of people, assets and infrastructure and its already highly stratified profiles of socio-economic disadvantage and vulnerability, has become critical locations for climate justice. Extreme heat, flooding, and environmental degradation threaten the well-being of all residents, but marginalized communities, such as the Biharis, are particularly vulnerable. Life has never been easy for them. They had to undergo tumultuous events surrounding the partition of British India in 1947 resulting from decolonization. They then migrated to East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, but when Bangladesh gained liberation from East Pakistan in 1971, they underwent marginalization and discrimination. Even after 52 years of the Bangladesh Liberation War, they are confined to camps in Dhaka. They reside in crowded and underdeveloped camps and lacks the resources and infrastructure necessary to cope with the effects of climate change. Although they are least responsible for the climate changes, they find themselves most vulnerable by it. One similar historically marginalized community is the Dalits of neighbouring country India. Although the nature and historical roots of their marginalization are different, they are both historically marginalized communities. Today, due to continued efforts, Dalits are participating in decision-making processes and fostering a more inclusive and equitable urban development. These continued efforts are addressing the historical inequalities they face, thus uplifting their socio-economic status and ensuring their inclusion in the development process. Likewise, Bihari community in Dhaka, if given similar redistributive and restorative treatments, they are likely to reap a just urban climate justice in polarised times.

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Paper short abstract:

The recent floods in Pakistan exacerbated existing socioeconomic inequalities challenging the capacity of state institutions. This paper proposes a theoretical model providing valuable insights for policymakers to develop more comprehensive and effective strategies for the flood-affected households.

Paper long abstract:

The consequences of climate change are more pronounced in South Asia, where marginalized people experience economic and social injustice in cases of climate-related hazards. In 2022, Pakistan experienced catastrophic floods displacing 8 million people. The country is already facing economic challenges, and floods have further aggravated existing inequalities, hence, reinforcing the socio-economic hardships of the poor and the vulnerable groups. This questions the effectiveness and efficiency of state institutions because in the given situation social trust between the flood-affected population and the state is often compromised. One of the reasons is that policies are primarily formed in silos. In this context, few studies point out the significance of adopting both a “top-down” and a “bottom-up” approach in coming up with a synergized plan to address vulnerabilities of people affected by climate disasters. This is because the combined effort of all the stakeholders involved in and impacted by the disaster, is necessary for reconstructing sustainable livelihoods to ensure social and economic justice to some extent.

Based on the primary data collected from 121 flood-affected households in Matiari district, Sindh, this paper provides valuable insights for policymakers to develop more comprehensive and effective strategies, which considers not only external interventions but also empowers the flood-affected households through capitalizing on their intrinsic capacities and resilience.

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Paper short abstract:

Examining the persistent urban-rural dichotomy rooted in British colonial history, our paper explores intersections of race, colonialism, and gender in rural India's environmental narratives.

Paper long abstract:

It is always about the ‘urban’! Decolonising and Reframing Climate Justice Narratives in India

The urban-rural dichotomy in India's planning, policymaking, and development roots itself in responding to the imperatives of the British imperialist regime. The enduring imprints of British colonial history persist in shaping how the urban-rural divide and its ramifications are presently addressed, represented, researched, managed, and examined. This historical continuum detrimentally affects rural areas, bearing a disproportionate burden of climate change impacts, leading to their marginalized status in contemporary planning and policymaking arenas.

Through critical review of planning and policy documents alongside historical analysis, this research delves into the intricate interplay of race, colonialism, capitalism, class, and gender dynamics in shaping ecological and environmental narratives, imaginaries, and practices in rural India. The examination extends to the contemporary repercussions of these intersections, offering insights that can significantly contribute to ongoing climate justice discourses.

By unravelling these complex intersections, the study endeavours to foster a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted challenges faced by rural India. Moreover, it seeks to highlight the critical need for transformative frameworks that can effectively challenge the deeply ingrained structures perpetuating climate injustice in the Global South. This deliberate shift in perspective towards acknowledging historical antecedents aims to lay the foundation for comprehensive and sustainable climate justice initiatives.

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Paper short abstract:

The paper studies the discourse surrounding the exclusion of marginalized population groups, including the tone, norms, and language employed in City Climate Action Plans, particularly concerning urban planning strategies within the context of national climate action plans.

Paper long abstract:

City Climate Action Plans (CCAPs) are becoming pivotal tools in shaping urban strategies to address the impacts of climate change. In India, cities such as Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, and Kolkata are actively implementing or formulating CCAPs to tackle climate challenges, encompassing rising temperatures, increased natural disasters, and deteriorating air and water quality. These plans collectively aim to enhance the resilience of urban centres, emphasizing a combination of mitigation and adaptation measures to promote sustainable development and improve the quality of life. While CCAPs gain momentum and receive financial support at the national and state levels, their implementation encounters significant challenges. Beyond financial and capacity constraints, data management, governance, and public participation issues persist. A substantial concern lies in the exclusion of communities disproportionately affected by the climate crisis, presenting a significant obstacle to the effectiveness of these plans.

This paper critically examines the CCAPs of Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai, focusing on the intersection of climate change and informal or marginalized populations within urban contexts. It assesses the inclusion of their concerns and evaluates the pros and cons, highlighting implementation challenges at the city level. The paper scrutinizes the discourse surrounding the exclusion of marginalized population groups, including the tone, norms, and language employed in CCAPs, particularly concerning urban planning strategies that may inadvertently sideline informal or marginalized groups within the context of national climate action plans. The paper aims to contribute to a more inclusive framework for CCAP preparation and implementation, fostering equitable climate resilience at the national level.

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Paper short abstract:

Advancing housing justice requires us to enumerate what matters. Most developing countries enumerate slums rather than count housing deprivations. I propose using household level data and measurements that has potential to advance housing justice for over a million "slum" dwellers across the world.

Paper long abstract:

There are over 1 billion people living in slums globally, majority of them in South Asian cities. Inclusion of specific targets towards slum improvement in both Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) indicates the salience of this global challenge. However, monitoring progress towards these goals in resource constrained environments is difficult because data on slums is often non-existent or of poor quality. In this paper, I demonstrate a way to overcome this challenge by proposing to use alternative data sources such as Demographic and Health Surveys, that are conducted in over 90 developing countries. This will paper use the 5th round of this survey from India called National Family and Health Survey V to estimate housing deprivations in absence of official slum statistics. Decadal Censuses have provided data on slums since 1991 routinely. However, India's Census 2021 is delayed until after 2024 general elections for reasons that are both practical and political. This paper shows an alternative path to enumerate housing deprivations instead and estimate the extent of multiple housing deprivations experienced at household level in cities of India. I analyze household level data that also captures several socioeconomic and demographic characteristics and can show uneven development outcomes across various groups such as religious minorities, lower castes, and the poor. By counting housing deprivations (e.g. access to water on premise) leads to just housing through policy actions (e.g. providing water) rather than enumerating political categories such as slums leading to further exploitation of marginalized populations.