Alt Urban Global Summit 2025 Sparks Dialogue on Sustainable Cities
A high-impact gathering of urban sustainability leaders charts pathways to inclusive and climate-resilient development
The Development Alternatives Group, along with its partners, convened the Alt Urban Global Summit 2025 at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, bringing together a diverse constellation of voices—from government, industry, civil society, and academia—to deliberate on the future of sustainable urban development in India and beyond.
Anchored in the ambitious goal of enabling 1 million green homes by 2030 under its flagship initiative, Alt Urban, the summit created a vibrant space for sharing replicable models, innovative practices, and policy frameworks essential for shaping resilient, inclusive cities of tomorrow.
The day opened with the Leaders’ Forum for Urban Transformation, featuring a lineup of key experts and practitioners: Dr. Shailesh Agarwal (BMTPC, MoHUA), Dr. Bhaskar Natrajan (AEEE), Mr. Sanjay Seth (TERI & GRIHA Council), Dr. Priyanka Kochhar (The Habitat Emprise), Mr. Balasubramanian Iyer (International Cooperative Alliance, Asia-Pacific), and Dr. Soumen Maity (TARA), moderated by Mr. Rajiv Tikoo (Sustainability Karma). The forum addressed critical themes including affordable green housing, decarbonisation of construction, and enabling policy environments for circular and low-carbon cities.
One of the key highlights of the summit was the Alt Urban Sustainable Housing Challenge—a national design competition spotlighting cutting-edge sustainable housing solutions. A short documentary tracing the journey of the Challenge was screened, followed by the announcement of winners and the official release of the publication Journey of the Alt Urban Housing Challenge. The winning entry came from Eco Dwell Design Lab, while Jatan Shekhawat, Co-Creator of Dhun.Life, shared reflections on their partnership and support for the initiative.
Delivering a keynote at the event, Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinator in India, noted:
“In line with the 2030 Agenda and the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, India is advancing inclusive, climate-resilient housing at scale and pace. The UN in India is proud to partner with the Government, civil society, private sector, and other stakeholders to foster greener and more inclusive urban futures. The Development Alternatives’ Alt Urban campaign and the Trialogue 2047 platform are timely efforts to reimagine India’s cities in inclusive and sustainable ways.”
Speaking at the summit, Shrashtant Patara, CEO of Development Alternatives, said:
“India’s urban transition is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape cities that are not only resilient and regenerative, but also deeply inclusive. Through Alt Urban and Trialogue 2047, we are proud to bring together changemakers to co-create urban futures that work for both people and the planet. This vision must be locally grounded, globally relevant, and fundamentally just.”
As part of the 28th edition of Trialogue 2047, a dedicated session titled “Shaping Green Urban Futures” focused on long-term strategies for inclusive urban transformation. The session featured keynote remarks from Shombi Sharp, and an engaging panel with Shikha Shrivastava (Tata Trusts), Sarath Babu MG (NIUA), and Umit Bhatia (JLL Asia-Pacific), moderated by Mr. Shrashtant Patara. During the session, the publication Shaping Green Urban Futures was officially launched, offering forward-looking frameworks for circular, climate-smart urban planning.
The summit concluded with reflections on collaborative governance, people-first design, and the role of innovation in reimagining urban India. These insights align with the country’s vision for Viksit Bharat @2047, underscoring the need for inclusive, just, and climate-resilient cities.
Alt Urban Global Summit 2025 was supported by Dhun.Life, Socrates Foundation, BMTPC, GRIHA Council, SPARC, IFC, Climate Rise Alliance, Build Ahead, University of Toronto India Foundation, International Cooperative Alliance – Asia Pacific, and The CSR Universe.
