REF 12_https://sanfranciscopost.com/kr-raos-pioneering-contributions-to-advancing-nuclear-andrenewable-energy-technologies/ _5/3/25_Page 1 of 4_NAC2
KR Rao and the Role of Land Use Planning in Addressing Environmental Crises NA16_INDIAN EXPRESS_3-28-25
KR Rao and the Role of Land Use Planning in Addressing Environmental CrisesHow land is used in urban and regional planning can either worsen or help solve environmental crises. Poor land use management often results in rising pollution levels, emissions from industries, and climate change. Unplanned urbanization is adding an immense amount of methane and carbon dioxide, which is creating problems with global warming. If industrial zones are not appropriately planned, not only will there be unchecked emissions, but the destruction of green zones will also reduce carbon sequestration, which in turn degrades the environment further.Urban planning is also being seen as a vital mechanism for minimizing such environmental risks. Careful land use planning, including the inclusion of renewable energy infrastructure, green zone development, and strict industrial zoning regulations, can reduce atmospheric pollution. The addition of sustainable transportation systems, energy-efficient residential buildings, and localized renewable energy generation also helps to minimize the urban carbon footprint. As climate-related threats intensify, policymakers and professionals are turning toward land use changes to reconcile economic development with conservation.KR Rao, a leading scholar and regional and urban planner consultant, has long stressed merging energy policy with land use planning. With an academic credential base ranging from institutions like Banaras Engineering College, IIT Kanpur, and the University of Pittsburgh, Rao has incorporated a multi-disciplinary paradigm towards understanding environmental sustainability, energy solutions, and urban development interface. His research has examined ways intelligent land use planning can curb industrial emissions and spur the uptake of renewable energy as part of sustained urban sustainability.One of the most essential things about Rao's work is his policy suggestions related to the environmental effects of fracking methods of fossil fuel extraction. Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a contentious process for extracting oil and natural gas from deep beneath the earth. Although fracking is claimed to increase energy independence, critics like Rao have expressed concerns regarding the risks involved in this process. Rao's studies have identified the greater seismic risks and groundwater pollution associated with fracking and have highlighted the importance of effective regulatory control. Fracking has been found to trigger seismic shakes through a disruption in the equilibrium of rock masses underground. More seismic activity has been detected in regions with more fracking operations, raising the question of fracking’s long-term impact. The process also involves using large quantities of water with chemicals injected into the ground, which can contaminate groundwater if unchecked. Rao-backed energy policies focused on safer alternatives like funding clean energy sources, wind power, solar power, and nuclear power, which are sustainable and lack the associated environmental risk.In addition to energy generation, Rao's work has also highlighted the potential of urban land use for reducing industrial emissions. He has examined the possibility of mixed-use zoning, green building practices, and transit-oriented development in decreasing fossil fuel reliance. His policy efforts have shaped the debate regarding how metropolitan regions can be planned to reduce carbon footprints without sacrificing economic competitiveness. In his consulting practice and editorial direction at ASME Technical Publications, he has contributed to shaping the debate on integrating environmental concerns into urban policy agendas.A key area of interest for Rao is the role that renewable energy can play in reformatting urban planning. His work points out how energy-efficient urban design can be optimized to utilize renewable sources to the fullest. For example, nuclear and tidal power have been suggested as sustainable substitutes to energize desalination plants, which transform seawater into drinking water. With the fact that 80% of the Earth's surface is composed of seawater, these technologies can be indispensable in solving global water shortages. Rao has stressed the importance of holistic policy structures integrating energy and water solutions with regional planning policies.Urban pollution is still a major concern, and Rao has been outspoken on the part planning can play in solving it. Cities without good zoning laws tend to have more industrial pollution, which has negative health impacts on citizens. Industrial pollution, added to car pollution and deforestation, creates bad air, which has been linked to respiratory ailments and other health issues. Rao's research has looked at how strategic land use, conservation of green space, and strict environmental regulations can combat these problems.His policy suggestions cut across urban areas, touching on larger regional and metropolitan planning themes. He has also argued for balancing industrial growth and environmental conservation so that metropolitan growth does not result in ecological losses. Rao's thoughts have made an impact on policymakers in many nations, especially North America, South Asia, and Eastern Europe, where the landscape is being quickly changed by urbanization.As environmental issues become increasingly complex, the nexus of land use planning and energy policy will increasingly determine sustainable urban futures. Rao's work offers a framework for synthesizing energy efficiency with regional development policy. His policy suggestions and research provide real-world solutions for governments and urban planners who wish to balance economic development with environmental stewardship.KR Rao's contribution to urban planning, energy policy, and sustainability serves to emphasize the importance of cross-disciplinary intervention in facing universal crises. While countries deal with climate change, resource extraction, and city growth, his studies provide relevant answers to the questions of how proper planning could forestall environmental degradation while enhancing economic and ecological viability in the long term.