Godrej Ahmedabad township selected for climate programme

odrej group's proposed 270-acre Ahmedabad township Godrej Garden City has been selected by Clinton Climate Initiative's Climate Positive Development Programme (CPDP) for clean and green urban development. It is one of the 16 founding projects being taken up globally under the programme. Climate Positive real estate developments will strive to reduce the amount of on-site CO2 emissions to below zero.

The 16 projects, which aim at providing one million people living and working opportunities in climate positive communities, include projects in Ahmedabad and Jaipur in India, Melbourne, Palhoca in Brazil, Toronto and Victoria in Canada, outside Panama City, Pretoria and Johannesburg in South Africa, Seoul, Stockholm, London, as well as San Francisco and Destiny (Florida) in the US.

CPDP, launched by former US president Bill Clinton on May 19, 2009 in Korea, will support development of large-scale urban projects that demonstrate cities can grow in ways that are climate positive'.

"Climate Positive real estate developments will strive to reduce amount of on-site CO2 emissions to below zero. Along with other founding projects, Godrej Garden City will demonstrate Climate Positive strategies, setting a compelling environmental and economic example for cities to follow," a release said.

To reduce net greenhouse gas emissions of their Climate Positive Development projects to below zero, property developers and local governments will work in partnership on specific areas of activity.

This includes implementing economically viable innovations in buildings, the generation of clean energy, waste management, water management, and transportation and outdoor lighting systems.

"Godrej Properties looks forward to working towards achieving the goal of a climate positive development in our upcoming Ahmedabad township," said Godrej Properties executive director Pirojsha Godrej.

According to estimates, while 2008 saw half the world's population or nearly 3.2 billion people living in cities, the number is expected to grow to 70 per cent by 2050. Cities also occupy just 2 per cent of the world's landmass, yet are responsible for more than two-thirds of global energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. How cities change and grow is therefore a critical component to tackling the climate crisis, the release added.