About this episode
Cities are growing—and fast. By 2030, two-thirds of the world’s population is expected to live in urban areas. Guests discuss how development projects can boost economies and spur job creation while preserving the natural resources communities rely on. Hassan Aboelnga, PMP, is an urban water security researcher at Koln University of Applied Sciences, and a management committee member of specialist groups at the International Water Association, based in Cologne, Germany. He outlines how taking a systems approach can help project managers deliver more sustainable water infrastructure projects. Kaustubh Tamaskar is a senior urban planner and designer with Beca and an urban resilience consultant for the World Bank based in Auckland, New Zealand. Kaustubh discussed how teams can keep sustainability front and center on development projects—even when they need to move quickly. Suresh Kotla, PMP, director of sustainable manufacturing for the Institute for Sustainable Communities in Mumbai, India, shares how his organization helps drive investment in sustainable development projects by fostering public-private partnerships. Key Themes: [00:29] Effects of rapid urban population growth [02:33] Bringing sustainability within reach [04:46] Future-proofing sustainability projects [08:01] Managing water scarcity [10:50] A systems approach to sustainability [13:11] Roadblocks to sustainable development [14:54] Balancing economic and environmental needs [18:52] How to scale up adoption of new models