As part of a continuous dialogue between various stakeholders and experts on urbanisation, the Urban Habitats Forum Symposium on “Cities and Climate Change” was hosted at the Silver Oak, India Habitat Centre, on the 23 February 09. The Symposium saw participation from over sixty experts.

Philip Rode, Executive Director, of Urban Age and Associate at the Cities Programme, LSE, set out the macro context of sustainable cities in his presentation by drawing out the linkages between urban density, and sustainability. He was followed by Sanjeev Sanyal, Founder and Managing Trustee of The Sustainable Planet Institute and Senior Fellow at WWF-India, who elaborated on the concept of ‘walkability’ as a paradigm for urban development and planning. For him, the concept of walkability holds the key for solving contemporary urban problems. Sam Miller, Journalist and Author, presented extracts from his latest book, 'Delhi: Adventures in A Mega City', which also supplemented Sanyal's advocacy of the walkability paradigm. Miller's book captures his discovery of Delhi, which he undertakes by walking around Delhi in a spiral.

From L to R:
Sam Miller, Journalist, and Author of 'Delhi: Adventures in a Mega Cities';
Philip Rode, Executive Director, Urban Age and Associate, Cities Programme, LSE;
Raj Liberhan, Director, IHC;
Sanjeev Sanyal, Founder and Managing Trustee, The Sustainable Planet Institute and Senior Fellow, WWF-India;
Anupam Yog, Founder and Managing Director, Mirabilis Advisory