INTRODUCTION OF PRIYANKA KULKARNI

“I will participate in ISA because I believe in the possibility of shaping our environment towards a better future. Connecting with diverse cultures and having an exchange of knowledge about SDG’s will contribute to my project as well as help me gain knowledge from all perspectives, which I will use to continue my aim to protect our mother earth”

Priyanka Kulkarni (32 years) is an environmental architect, a researcher and works as an independent consultant at Enviro Eco-Consultancy in India. She holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture and a master’s degree (specialization) in environmental architecture and planning. Priyanka believes in protecting and safeguarding natural and cultural assets for sustainable development.

Her ISA project focuses on the conservation of ecosystem services by integrating Blue-Green Infrastructure concepts for flood risk reduction in city development. Global climate change is affecting the weather patterns and enhancing increased episodes of high-intensity rainfall resulting in flood-like situations. Cities are not planned and managed with sensitivity towards environmental factors. Lack of integration of Environmental Perspective in planning has resulted in heavy loss of human life and property in such flood-prone areas. India has been suffering from this issue specifically in the last years and is expected to suffer more if the right actions are not done. Priyanka believes that sustainable development can be achieved by holistic planning where natural systems are safeguarding human settlements, and both are set up in a mosaic system in order to complement each other.