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Climate Resilient Cities

Cities are best placed to adopt comprehensive climate responsive development to ensure the health and well-being of residents.

India accounts for nearly 6.5% of the global greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) with almost half of the country’s emissions having urban origins - emanating from industries, transport modes, buildings, and waste.

This, coupled with rapid urbanization and the depletion and degradation of natural resources escalates the occurrence of more frequent and severe climate events. Indian cities are particularly vulnerable to water stress, prolonged hot (or cold) days, heat island effect, flash floods, urban water logging, droughts, and deteriorating air quality.

So, it is critical that cities chart pathways for an equitable transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy.

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Climate First Bengaluru

As one of the C40 Cities, Bengaluru has prepared a data-driven, inclusive and collaborative climate action plan with WRI India as knowledge partner. The Bengaluru Climate Action and Resilience Plan (BCAP) puts forward more than 260 actions, spread over short, medium and long-term, across seven sectors, offering the city the opportunity to intensify and coordinate efforts to plan and manage its urban growth informed by local conditions, and aligned to the global climate agenda. To facilitate the implementation of BCAP, BBMP constituted a Climate Action Cell on 1stFebruary 2024 under the Chairpersonship of the Special Commissioner, Forest, Environment and Climate Change Management (FECCM) wing of BBMP. WRI India is the core knowledge partner to the Bengaluru Climate Action Cell and is also supporting the Climate Action Cell in shaping a strong climate resilience focus for Bengaluru under the BluGreenUru initiative.

10 Facts to Better Understand the Bengaluru Climate Action and Resilience Plan

 

Assessment framework and indicators

To enable the 100 Smart Cities and AMRUT cities to assess their climate preparedness and develop a roadmap of climate actions, the Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework (CSCAF) was launched on 11th September 2020. The CSCAF 2.0 consists of toolkits and evaluation metrics based on 28 diverse indicators across five sectors -

  • Energy and Green Buildings:Cities can reduce their carbon footprint by adopting measures such as distributed energy generation, energy efficiency, electric mobility, climate responsive architecture and alternate fuel transportation systems.
  • Urban Planning, Green Cover and Biodiversity:Cities can improve and increase their greenspaces and natural systems and promote biodiversity; thereby becoming more resilient to climate-related shocks.
  • Mobility and Air Quality: Enhancing public transportation, creating sustainable transport infrastructure, monitoring industrial emissions, providing access to clean cooking fuel etc. reduce GHG emissions and mitigate cities’ impact on public health and the environment.
  • Water Management: Water scarcity, water quality and sanitation, along with climate change related issues such as droughts, heavy rainfalls, floods, landslides, coastal flooding etc. are critical issues faced by municipal and state governments.
  • Waste Management: Scientific management of waste along with a commitment towards a circular economy and adherence to Integrated Solid Waste Management (SWM) principles can reduce GHGs and associated pollution.

ONGOING WORK

Air quality management in Indian cities and challenges - by Dr. Ajay Nagpure  Know more

Strategic approach to resume Delhi’s urban bus service post-COVID lockdown - by Revathy Pradeep, Chintan Daftardar  Know more

Digital ticketing as a way forward for safer, cashless public transport - by Revathi Pradeep  Know more

Household air pollution from solid fuels and its invisible solution - by Dr. Ajay Nagpure  Know more

Recognizing shared mobility as a sustainable form of mobility in urban areas by Shravani Sharma  Know more

Clean Air Action Plans for cities and their corresponding challenges - by Dr. Ajay Nagpure  Know more

Five ways to promote public transport in Indian cities - by Amit Bhatt and Himanshi Kapoor  Know more

Inclusivity as a climate action planning strategy by - Avni Agarwal, Chirag Gajjar and Faiza Solanki  Know more

Alternative mobility – a must have for Indian cities - by Prerna Vijaykumar Mehta and Abhishek Behera  Know more

Tackling transport emissions - by Madhav Pai  Know more

On 11th January 2021, WRI India signed an MoU with Climate Centre for Cities (within National Institute of Urban Affairs) to become a key member of the ClimateSmart Cities Alliance. The MoU was signed by Dr. O.P. Agrawal (CEO, WRI India) and Mr. Hitesh Vaidya (Director, NIUA).

Know more

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“Cities are both powerful and vulnerable actors in the struggle against climate change. The ClimateSmart Cities Assessment Framework is developed after an extensive consultative process. It will facilitate cities to adopt, implement and disseminate the best practices and contribute towards the green, sustainable and urban resilient habits.”

- Kunal Kumar

Joint Secretary & Mission Director

Smart Cities Mission, Government of India

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"The collaboration between NIUA and WRI India is a step towards mainstreaming climate actions in our cities. It will strive towards developing carbon neutral cities by adopting appropriate climate measures, especially strengthening capacities at the local level."

- Hitesh Vaidya

Director

National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA)

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