We are launching The Bamboo City Project in conjunction with UN Climate Change Conference COP28, currently taking place in Dubai, UAE.

About the project

The number of people living in cities is increasing worldwide. Currently, 55% of the global population lives in urban areas, and this is expected to rise to 60% by 2030. In India, 461 million people are living in cities, and this number is growing by 2.3% each year. We still need to build 70 to 80% of the infrastructure that will be required by 2050.

Bengaluru, which had a population of 1.2 million in 1960, now has 13 million residents. Bangalore’s rapid urbanization places a lot of pressure on the city's environment. People are moving to cities in search of better opportunities, causing the city to expand outwards towards its boundaries. Many people are building new structures near lakes, reducing the amount of water bodies in the city. The number of private vehicles is increasing, leading to more air pollution from traditional building materials. Waste is being dumped into water bodies and open lands, causing water and land pollution. The city's excessive use of concrete reflects sunlight and creates an urban heat island effect, as well as increasing flooding.

To address this, a project using bamboo, an eco-friendly and efficient natural material, to reduce the effects of climate change in the city. The project includes a plan to plant bamboo across the city and incorporate it into the construction sector through prototype buildings. Various building types have been documented, and bamboo building codes will be updated soon. Suitable bamboo species have been identified for Bengaluru, and stakeholder surveys have been conducted.

A master plan for bamboo plantations in both the CBD and peri-urban areas is being developed, along with an action and implementation plan. A master plan for bamboo plantations in both the CBD and peri-urban areas is being developed, along with an action and implementation plan.

Event Schedule

1. Project Presentation by Ar. Neelam Manjunath and Research Associates (20 Minutes)

2. Panel Discussions

   • Bamboo Plantation (30 Minutes)

   • Bamboo in Buildings and Infrastructure (30 Minutes)

   • Enterprise Development in the Bamboo Sector (30 Minutes)

3. Wrap up (10 Minutes)

Panelists

1. Ar.Neelam Manjunath - Founder, CEO and Chairperson, CGBMT

2. Dr. A. N. Yellappa Reddy (IFS Retd) - Chairman, Bengaluru Environment Trust

3. Shri. N. Sivsailam (IAS Retd) - Administrative Member, Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal, Bangalore

4. Susanne Lucas - Executive Director, World Bamboo Organization

5. Ar. Jaisim Krishna Rao - Owner, Jaisim-Fountainhead

6. Prof. D K Anand - Professor, College of Architecture Trivandrum

7. Dr. Sanjeev Singh – Dean and Associate Professor, School of Planning and Architecture

8. Prof. Ramakrishna Hegde - Professor, College of Forestry, Ponnampet, Keladi Shivappa NayakaUniversity of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences

9. Dr. Aswath M U – Principal, Bangalore Institute of Technology

10. Nidhi Hanji – Legal Associate, ESG

11. Annapurna Kamath – Jala Poshan Trust , Jakkur

You can find out more about the project here.

Please join us as we embark on this exciting journey!