Event ReportsPublished on Jul 15, 2024
Building City Resilience to Climate Hazards

Introduction

For many years, unusual weather conditions are being experienced due to the climate change phenomenon, and their frequent occurrence is affecting human lives and the environment. In some regions of India, patterns of cyclonic activity, rainfall, and temperature are reportedly undergoing a change. Monsoon seasons bring more or less rain, summers are hotter, and such events occur at unexpected times of the year. Civic agencies struggle to respond properly to the changing situation because the functionaries are less aware of the actions and are insufficiently prepared. Generally, these lack abilities to handle the situation, and are mainly dependent on national and state administration. Here are some incidents that highlight the nature of problems experienced:

  • The severe cyclonic storm Remal experienced in May 2024 caused deaths, collapse of boundary walls, uprooting of trees and electric poles, traffic jams, waterlogging and cancellation of air flights in Kolkata and neighbouring regions. The impact of the storm was also felt in northeastern states of Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, and Mizoram where off-season rainfall-induced landslides resulted in loss of life and damaged buildings and infrastructure.
  • In August 2023, torrential rains in various parts of Himachal Pradesh, including Shimla, triggered landslides, flash floods and cloudbursts. This event claimed over 400 lives, left many families homeless, damaged buildings, and disrupted rail connectivity.
  • Around the same time, many habitable areas of Delhi (including the Samyeling Tibetan colony) situated along the course of river Yamuna were inundated due to torrential rain in upstream areas that led to overflowing of river water. The subsequent flooding displaced people, seriously affected their livelihood, and caused massive traffic jams and water shortages.
  • In the summer of 2024, some cities especially in northern regions of India (including Rajasthan, national capital region, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar) experienced heat waves of extreme nature with temperature reaching 500 The intense heat severely affected people’s health and their everyday activities. During this period, numerous incidents of fires occurring in buildings were also reported by the media.

Considering the significance of the issue, the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) organised a discussion on 25 June 2024 to generate ideas for policy makers and the administration on building resilience of cities to climate change-induced disasters. During the programme, various ideas and experiences were shared by the panel of speakers and participants. These were discussed in the context of cities/urban areas, where population, buildings, economic activities, and infrastructure are concentrated.

Summary of Discussions and Recommendations 

Governance

The existing law (Disaster Management Act, 2005), institutions (National Disaster Management Authority, National Disaster Response Force), and guidelines need to respond effectively to climate events that are hyper-local in nature, such as local area flooding or urban heat islands.

Disaster management should be devolved to municipalities, and functionaries (including the Mayors) need to be properly empowered for efficient implementation of plans and discharge of duties. 

Financing

Climate finance can be mobilised by creation of a land bank (owned by the municipality) and leasing of properties to commercial organisations. The option of corporate social responsibility (CSR) funding also needs to be explored. 

Planning and design

Climate action plans for some cities lack statutory/legal status. Hence, their implementation has been a difficult exercise. Even the city master plans are not sufficiently addressing the issue of climate change. Future planning and reforms should consider the informality and vulnerabilities that are prominent in Indian cities. For example, people living in slums or working outside (street vendors) need proper support and protection. Further, the plans should be participatory in nature, and governments must work with communities for effectively responding to challenges posed by climate change.

Nature-based development: Natural hazards will not result in disasters if natural products are used in built structures. In the mountainous state of Uttarakhand, most fatalities were noted among people living in concrete structures. Whereas, those living in wooden houses suffered minimum injuries. Further, habitation should not be allowed in flood prone areas, as noted in Assam, where populations living along Brahmaputra river embankments faced hardship due to frequent flooding.

Urban Form: Urban resilience to climate change requires an interdisciplinary approach. For example, urban design experts can help in designing buildings that are climate responsive. In this approach, the climate of collective built environment (or urban form), which comprises buildings and nearby public areas, can be controlled. Presently, air conditioners for cooling buildings make outside areas warm.

Gender: In examining gender and disasters, an intersectional approach and particular geographical context is necessary. Both women and men can be equally vulnerable. With respect to coastal disasters, it is noted that women suffer more as many do not know swimming; they lack access to public spheres and early warning systems. On the other hand, men engaged in informal sector activities are severely affected by heat waves.

Disaster management policies and initiatives must not overlook the special needs of some people. Besides widows, abandoned women, women whose husbands are unable to work due to health reasons, never married women, lactating and pregnant women, differently abled people, transgender community, girl students, adolescents, informal sector workers, low income households, and homeless persons experience numerous difficulties and find it difficult to recover. For example, quite often, relief kits do not include sanitary or hygiene products needed by women; girl students drop out rates go up as they have to help their mothers in collecting drinking water; the differently abled population is unable to relocate quickly; and the transgender community does not find separate spaces for themselves in male or female relief camps. Further, at some places, since cultural norms prohibit women from accessing livelihood options, it makes it difficult for them to go out and find work during a crisis.

Psychosocial counselling is an important requirement for addressing the issues of violence and conflict experienced during post-disaster period. Due to post-traumatic stress disorder, there are increased instances of alcohol abuse, domestic and sexual violence, and divorces.

Healthcare: Climate-related events cause fatalities and trigger disease outbreaks. Hence, a quick response system in times of crisis is urgently needed. This requires strengthening of existing health institutions that are currently under tremendous stress, as well as timely provision of relief at disaster sites. The major problems are related to funds, investments, staff, robust infrastructure, equipment, coordination of diverse players (including the private sector) in healthcare delivery, quality of spending, information base and communication systems, training and resources for ground level staff, and healthcare sector emissions. There is evidence of fewer casualties due to availability of early warning systems.

Greening of public and private spaces: Creation of multiple small patches of green space at various places in cities will be useful in managing micro climate, as against developing a few vast patches.

Green mobility: A shift to green mobility is urgently needed for maintaining a good environment. This includes encouraging active mobility (use of bicycles and creation of proper walkways), and provision of superior public transport facilities. The concerned government agencies must address the deficiencies in this regard so that citizen expectations are met.

Citizen participation and accountability

Socio-behavioural resilience needs to be built. In Japan, for example, the disaster management agencies work with communities to generate awareness about things to do at the time of a disaster. During weekly drills, people are informed about emergency phone numbers (such as of fire department), and places to go during an emergency.

Some regions are more vulnerable to climate change. In such regions, people should adopt an environment-friendly lifestyle. In the case of a water scarce city, Leh (in Ladakh), it is noted that domestic tourists demand and consume more water because consuming large volume of water has become their lifestyle.

Conclusion

Presently, there are many gaps in planning and management, and hence most climate events are resulting in damage and loss of life. Unless these are addressed, and capabilities of civic agencies are enhanced, the city resilience to negative effects of climate change will remain low.

Acknowledgements

The contribution of panel of speakers and participants is gratefully acknowledged: Mr. Aravind Unni (Urban Community and Development Practitioner), Dr. Arunava Dasgupta (Professor, Department of Urban Design, School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi), Dr. Bhawna Bali (Associate Professor, School of Global Affairs, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University Delhi), Dr. Kanchan Gandhi (Research Consultant), Mr. Oommen Kurian (Senior Fellow - Health Initiative, ORF), Dr. Rajarshi Dasgupta (Assistant Professor, School of Public Policy, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi), and Mr. Ravinder Singh Negi (Individual Consultant).


This report is prepared by Dr. Rumi Aijaz, Senior Fellow, ORF.

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