Urban landscapes for carbon sequestration in climate changing scenario

Abstract

Increasing concern about climate change and global warming has created immense awareness among society about greenhouse gas and its reduction. Irrespective of the geographical location, population density and economic development of any region, there is a huge scope for addressing the greenhouse gas emission. It is, however, an opportunity for the local body to apply the concept of urban green space management for the reduction of atmospheric CO 2. Cities have a key role to play in the global agenda for addressing the challenge of climate change. Today, approximately half of the world's population lives in cities; by 2050, that proportion will probably have increased to two-thirds. India has the highest rate of change of the urban population and will remain above 2% annually for the next three decades. At this rate, an estimated 854 million people will live in Indian cities by 2050. Urban greenery is one of the ways to bridge this gap between urbanisation and nature. Trees and other ornamental plants are crucial to the sequestration of carbon from atmosphere and play an important role in reducing carbon footprint. Urban green spaces constitute critical biodiversity hotspots in densely crowded, concrete-dominated city environments. Even though green spaces play vital role in mitigating the climate change, they remain little studied. The green space needs to be strategically planned. Cultivating urban green spaces is becoming inevitable for clean and green environment in urban areas.