Roadmap to Sustainable Cities: Embedding the Synergy of Sustainable Project Management and Renewable Energy Approaches

Abstract

Although having lot of potential for renewable energy in various developing countries, still there are number of cities seemed majorly dependent on the various fossil fuels. This practice of being dependent on fossil fuel usually leads them to be more exposed to the climate challenges. This study is aimed to observe the integration of the Sustainable Practices in the conventional Project Management for bringing better governance and project delivery approach. The study focuses on the case of Karachi with some global comparisons of certain cities where the best practices have been adopted. For the purpose, the informed theoretical framework known for sustainable approaches was adopted for this study. These were the theories of Triple Bottom Line, Inclusive Stakeholder, Institutional Theory backed with the academic and professional PMI-GPM P5 standard and PRiSM methodology. Moreover, it is further grounded in a Qualitative study of peer-reviewed literature, institutional reports, widely accepted sustainability indexes of authentic sources, longitudinal data on the energy, and emissions trajectory of the Karachi as the Developing City. Results of the study reflect that the inadequate institutional coordination with fragmented governance, lack of stakeholder cohesion and inconsistent compliance of the policies at various levels are the precursors greatly contributing to insufficient adaptability of the renewable energy. Renewable contribution demonstrates just 5% out of total urban energy mix of Karachi. Looking at the ARCADIS index and relevant literature, a global comparison was also made to lighten up the understanding on integrated sustainable methods.The study provides the basic sense of direction for urban planners, project managers and especially for policymakers aiming for sustainable urban development with broader climate goals. Further, the findings support the targets of UN-SDG 11 referring Sustainable Cities and Communities leading to bring a sustainable impact.