Climate-sensitive planning needed for cities

Eminent urban planner Prof Nazrul Islam stressed the need for undertaking climate-sensitive plans for the country's cities to cope with the adverse impacts of climate change in the coming days, reports UNB.
"When you (urban planners) will be involved in planning a city, the plan has to be climate-sensitive," Prof Islam made the observation while speaking at a seminar on "Mainstreaming Climate Change Concerns into National Urban related Policies," jointly organised by Urban Development Directorate (UDD) and UN-Habitat, at Public Works Department conference room in the city on Sunday.
Prof Islam said the city authorities do not show willingness to undertake climate-sensitive planning, but rural people design their houses considering climate sensitivity and build those in high places so that floods cannot affect them.
 "Rainfall and temperature would have to be considered in taking up climate-sensitive planning for a city," he said.
The urban planner informed that use of air conditioning in cities contributes to the rise of urban temperature.
He suggested setting up city planning development department in every city authority in the country to introduce climate-sensitive urban planning.