12-14 September, 2011, Lucknow - Earth Science India

National Conference on Science of Climate Change and Earth’s Sustainability: Issues and Challenges ‘A Scientist-People Partnership’
12-14 September, 2011, Lucknow
SUSTAINABLE HABITAT AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Suresh C. Bajpai
Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53, University Road, Lucknow – 226 007
email: dr.sureshcbajpai@gmail.com
We are faced with the challenge of sustaining our economic growth while dealing
with the global threat of climate change. This threat emanates from accumulated
greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere, anthropogenically generated through longterm
and intensive industrial growth and high consumption lifestyles in developed
countries. In charting out a developmental pathway which is ecologically sustainable,
India has a wider spectrum of choices precisely because it is at an early stage of
development.
In dealing with the challenge of climate change we must act on several fronts in a
focused manner simultaneously. The focus will be on promoting understanding of
climate change, adaptation and mitigation, energy efficiency and natural resource
conservation. The strong positive correlation between energy use and human
development is well recognized. The integrated energy policy which was adopted in
2006 has some key provisions of promotion of energy efficiency in all sectors, emphasis
on mass transport, emphasis on renewable including biofuels plantations, accelerated
development of nuclear and hydropower for clean energy and focused R&D on several
clean energy related technologies. The development of sustainable habitat may have
three components, i.e. promoting energy efficiency in the residential and commercial
sector, management of municipal solid waste and promotion of urban public transport.
The residential sector accounts for around 13.3% of total commercial energy use
in India. Electricity use in recent past has increased at 8.25% annually in the residential
sector. Electricity consumption in the residential sector is primarily for lighting, space
conditioning, refrigeration and other appliances. The commercial sector comprises
various institutional establishments. Electricity consumption has increased at the rate of
7.4% annually in the last decade in the commercial sector. Energy use in residential and
commercial buildings also varies significantly across the income groups, building
construction typology, climate and several other factors. While the use of more efficient
appliances can play a key role in reducing final energy demands, energy-efficient
appliances typically have higher upfront costs than their non-labeled counterparts.
Adopting of energy-efficient lighting and space-conditioning technologies should be
integrated into housing finance schemes of financial institutions, appliance financing
schemes need to incentivize purchase of energy-efficient equipment and utility-based
programmes should be put in place to pay for the higher upfront capital costs of lighting
systems in the utility bills. The Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) aims to
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