The recent World Bank Group Report (Making Cities Green, Resilient, and Inclusive in a Changing Climate, 2023) reveals that climate change is exposing cities to increasingly frequent extreme weather events. From the 1970s to the period 2010–20, the frequency of extreme heat and dry events increased across cities globally, and the frequency of extreme wet events has increased since the 1990s. Global sea-level rise of about 0.125 millimeters per year is also increasing the risk of flooding for coastal cities. Also, it is evident from the Report that cities in high- and upper-middle-income countries are major contributors to climate change, whereas the contribution of cities in lower-income countries is modest. Globally, about 70 percent of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, the bulk of which are fossil carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, emanate from cities. Cities in lower-income countries, however, accounted for only about 14 percent of all global urban CO2 emissions in 2015, and cities in low-income cities contributed less than 0.20 percent. The mitigation challenge for cities in lower-income countries is to develop without following the historic CO2 emissions trajectories of cities in higher-income countries. Anyway, to control CO2 emissions one of the alternatives is the plantation of saplings in the house or its vicinity if vacant land is available. And one innovative idea as observed by the author was the distribution of saplings to the guests as a gift on the occasion of a senior citizen’s Golden Jubilee Wedding anniversary and at the same time his grandson’s birthday who completed 12 years of age. The case is from Libdom Villa (Raj Reddy Valley), Bandlaguda Jagir, Hyderabad, a gated community which is spread over to an area of 17 acres of land having all facilities – indoor and outdoor games, gym, park, swimming pool, function hall, etc. Altogether 190 families ( a few might be unoccupied) live in this gated community consisting of different religions, castes, and languages (people of different States), representing a mini India in the true sense and residents celebrate all festivals amicably.
A resident of the villa (75 Years old), who stays with his wife, son (41 years, software engineer and owner of the villa) daughter-in-law also a software engineer) and grandson (12 years), had initiated a good idea that others can emulate in other gated communities or houses if they have little land.
K. Veerabrahmam (75 years old), a retired administrative officer from Government Arts and PG College, Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh is a permanent resident of the villa staying along with other family members, as mentioned already. In the last part of May 2023, he celebrated his 50 years of wedding anniversary, golden jubilee. Also, his grandson who completed 12 years of age almost the same period organized a dinner party in the campus itself on 24 May 2023. Many dishes – both vegetarian and non-vegetarian – were served. As a part of the event, each guest was presented with a sapling. Around 55 saplings were brought from the local nursery and given to all guests in beautiful cotton bags. Such an innovative idea to regenerate nature can be emulated by others who live in gated communities etc. Instead of giving different types of gifts, giving saplings in the present context is the best gift.
Prof Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad