Eco-Efficient and sustainable urban infrastructure approach-an initiative for green economic growth

Infrastructure is a key element for realizing sustained economic growth and sustainable development to achieve the United Nations ’Agenda 2030, with its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). No country can expect to succeed without a solid infrastructure base. It is also increasingly understood that negative environmental and social impacts of poorly conceived infrastructure investments will place additional burdens on current and future generations. As the county like India is increasingly feeling the effects of climate change, these issues have become all the more important. Climate change impacts are threatening existing infrastructure and rolling back hard-won development gains. Furthermore, as the impacts of climate change become greater, the region's remaining poor people become more vulnerable, as they will be most affected by natural disasters, rising sea levels, and droughts. Infrastructure development will place further stress on the environment. Eco-efficiency concept can satisfy human needs and bring quality of life while progressively reducing environmental impacts of goods and resource intensity throughout the entire life-cycle to a level at least in line with the Earth's estimated “Carrying Capacity”. This concept will help in reducing the Ecological Footprint, simultaneously improving quality of life within the capacity constraints of the city. In this paper different approach of eco-efficiency for sustainable urban infrastructure development in line with Sustainable development frameworks and models, Extended Urban Metabolism Model and Agenda 2030 has been discussed. This will support in making a strategic shift towards more sustainable patterns of urban infrastructure.