Ecologically Smart Cities: Mapping human-nature interactions in cities of the Global South

Utrecht University will award an honorary doctorate to Professor Harini Nagendra. In celebration of her honorary doctorate, we have invited Harini Nagendra to give a lecture entitled ‘Ecologically Smart Cities: Mapping human-nature interactions in cities of the Global South’.

Cities are on a breakneck path to growth, especially in the global South. Across the world, most cities were originally built on a firm basis of local ecology, drawing on the biodiversity in the rivers, lakes, forests, grasslands and coastal areas around them for food, water and building material. Yet over centuries we have forgotten this ecological history. Instead, human pressures have transformed the ecology of most cities beyond recognition. It has never been more clear why we must begin to think ecologically about our urban future. Drawing on examples from India and other Global South cities, this talk will discuss how we need to re-design cities to accommodate ecology, building Ecologically Smart Cities to accommodate both nature and human wellbeing – thereby enabling greater resilience to climate change and urban stresses.

We are happy to invite anyone interested in the topic to this lecture! The lecture is free, but please register.

The Indian ecologist Professor Harini Nagendra will be awarded an honorary doctorate for her original research on how people and nature can reconnect in cities to foster sustainability, resilience, and livability. Her work integrates urban ecology, institutional analysis, satellite remote sensing, and community engagement to examine the governance of urban commons, such as forests and green spaces. While rooted in the South Asian context, her work provides globally relevant knowledge to the planetary polycrisis - climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.  

Prof. Nagendra’s influence extends beyond academia. She actively promotes awareness of the mental and ecological benefits of urban nature through popular science books, podcasts, and newspaper columns. She is the author of Nature in the City: Bengaluru in the Past, Present and Future, among other works. Through her commitment to empowering youth in and through sustainability education, Harini Nagendra creates real-world impact.   

The awarding of honorary doctorates is part of Utrecht University’s Dies Natalis.