- Cities of Care conference brings global experts together as Sustainable India 2025 report is released
The University of Toronto India Foundation (UTIF), in collaboration with IIT Madras’ School of Sustainability and the University of Toronto’s School of Cities, inaugurated the Cities of Care Conference at the IIT Madras Research Park, bringing together leading global universities, research institutions, policymakers and practitioners to advance climate action and rethink sustainable urban development for Indian cities.
Cities of Care convened 90-plus global researchers, policymakers, practitioners and funders to explore climate action through a water–food–waste systems lens. It featured plenaries, three thematic research sessions, 15 research presentations and a cross-sector panel connecting global and Indian voices on urban complexity across water, food and waste systems.
The two-day conference is centred on the water, food and waste systems, both individually and as an interconnected nexus — a critical yet often fragmented area of urban planning. It highlights how the interlinked nature of critical urban systems must be addressed through integrated and long-term policy approaches. Through research presentations, expert panels and practitioner dialogues, Cities of Care aims to translate academic research into actionable insights for cities grappling with climate stress, resource scarcity and rapid urbanisation.
As part of the conference, UTIF, in collaboration with sustainability-focused media platform Revolve, released the Sustainable India 2025 country report, a comprehensive overview of India’s sustainability and climate action developments across cities, states and sectors.
Indumathi M. Nambi, Professor, Department of Civil Engineering and School of Sustainability, IIT Madras, said the lab-to-market journey is long and challenging. “We need platforms like this educating researchers to work on real-world problems, enabling governments to create supportive policies and programmes, and bringing businesses and academia together to identify challenges and fund applied research and technology development. It is equally important to educate investors to value impact metrics alongside financial returns,” she said.
The conference comes at a time when Indian cities are facing increasing pressures from climate risks, resource constraints and rapid urbanisation. According to the Towards Resilient and Prosperous Cities in India report, developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, India’s urban population is projected to nearly double to 951 million by 2050, necessitating the construction of over 144 million new homes by 2070. By approaching water, food and waste as interconnected systems, Cities of Care seeks to encourage integrated planning approaches and long-term strategies for urban resilience.
Sustainable India report
The 2025 edition of Revolve’s Sustainable India report brings together on-the-ground sustainability updates from across the country, documenting how climate action is being shaped at national, state and city levels. The report features in-depth stories, expert interviews, photo essays and curated key facts, offering insights into the projects, ideas and people driving India’s sustainability journey.
The report also reflects the broader influence of India’s eight national climate missions, capturing developments across climate resilience, energy transition, ecosystems, water systems, sustainable mobility and inclusive development. By combining narrative storytelling with evidence-led insights, Sustainable India 2025 serves as a knowledge resource for policymakers, researchers, practitioners and institutions working on climate-resilient urban development.
The report features a foreword by Gauravi Lobo, Country Head, UTIF, titled “No City Stands Alone: Reimagining Collaborative Urbanism,” which underscores the importance of cross-sectoral and cross-border collaboration in addressing complex urban and climate challenges.
The conference features speakers from leading Indian and global institutions, including Prof. Joseph Wong, Vice-President (International), University of Toronto; Dr. Supriya Sahu, IAS, Secretary, Department of Environment and Climate Change, Government of Tamil Nadu; Prof. Isha Ray, Energy and Resource Group, UC Berkley; Mr. Takayuki Hagiwara, FAO Representative in India; and Ms. Veena Srinivasan, Executive Director, Well Labs Mission.
Discussions across the conference focus on translating research into policy-relevant insights, strengthening collaboration between academia, government and practitioners, and advancing integrated approaches to urban challenges through the lens of the water–food–waste nexus.
In addition to dialogue and knowledge exchange, the conference is designed to inform future research collaboration, policy discussions and implementation pathways. Insights emerging from Cities of Care are expected to contribute to ongoing academic work, practitioner engagement and institutional partnerships aimed at strengthening climate-resilient urban development in India.
The Cities of Care Conference continues with thematic sessions, poster presentations and collaborative discussions focused on shaping actionable pathways for a sustainable and resilient urban future.
