Water is the single most important shaper of cities and civilisations. When overabundant or scarce, it can cripple civic amenities and comp...
Water is the single most important shaper of cities and civilisations. When overabundant or scarce, it can cripple civic amenities and compromise citizens’ health, mobility and security. As the climate crisis transforms precipitation patterns and exposes modern infrastructure’s shortcomings, Indian cities – and their poorest residents – are left particularly vulnerable to debilitating deluges and water stresses, challenges that may often coincide.
In this context, 21st century urban imaginations would be incomplete without thoughtful design for water, its connection with communities, and the possibilities to adapt to climate change while regenerating degraded ecosystems. Geeta Mehta is intimately involved with these considerations through both her academic and applied work. Mehta is an adjunct professor at the Graduate School of Architecture Planning and Preservation at Columbia University in New York. With her colleagues in the urban design programme at Columbia, she has taught several Global Cities and Climate Change Studios focused on urban centres in India.
Mehta is also the president of Asia Initiatives, a non-profit organisation she founded in 1999. In addition to working on healthcare, education, technology and livelihoods, Asia Initiatives has developed the concept of Social Capital Credits. A community currency for social good, Social Capital Credits incentivises people to participate in civic...