Urbanization and Environment: A Comparative Analysis of Delhi and Kolkata

Rapid economic growth coupled with urbanization has led to massive detrimental environmental quality. In addition to the severe crises of climate change, several metropolitan cities in India have experienced an additional impact on environmental quality. This paper examines the air and water quality in two metropolitan cities in India, Delhi and Kolkata. The study attempts to identify the factors responsible for the detrimental impact of environmental quality in Delhi and Kolkata. In addition to environmental quality, the impact is also observed in relation to settlement regions and vegetation in both cities. A significant correlation between urbanization, climate change parameters, and environmental quality in the case of both Kolkata and Delhi is an important contribution of the study to reflect the linkages between increasing urbanization, climate change, and environmental quality. A comparative analysis is useful to deduce significant policy imperatives related to climate financing. Strategic urban planning is recommended in the policy formulation through this study to combat not only climate change but also to encounter the detrimental impact of urbanization and population growth.