– By Sanjay Seth and Rhea Srivastava
In recent weeks, northern India has witnessed the harsh realities of climate disasters as the region endured the devastating consequences of record-breaking rainfall and flooding. Hardest hit among the impacted areas is Himachal Pradesh, where the onslaught of floods and landslides wreaked havoc, causing loss of life and widespread property damage. Even the capital city Delhi found itself grappling with unprecedented flooding. Prolonged spells of torrential downpours inundated streets and disrupted vital services, including water, electricity, and transport facilities.
Prior to this, the region had already faced yet another climate ordeal, as scorching heatwaves inflicted heat-related illnesses on hundreds. What’s even more alarming is the rising frequency of such occurrences, demanding urgent action on the global climate crisis. Countries like India must plan and act accordingly to address these pressing climate issues. This requires a robust and proactive approach that combines both climate adaptation and accelerated mitigation efforts.
As the UN Secretary General rightly emphasized, climate battle will largely be won or lost in cities. With more than 70 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions and 75 per cent of global primary energy consumption originating from urban areas, cities wield considerable influence over the trajectory of climate change. At the same time, they are increasingly vulnerable to multiple climate change risks – such as floods, heatwaves, and disaster-induced displacement. Rapid urbanization and resource consumption further exacerbate the strain on these densely populated urban areas.
India’s G20 presidency has taken commendable steps to empower cities and elevate their role in the fight against climate change. The recently concluded Urban 20 (U20) Mayoral Summit and the G20 Infrastructure Working Group set a powerful precedent, highlighting the indispensable role cities play in driving climate action forward. The deliberations and outcomes from these G20 engagement and working groups have underscored the significance of a fundamental transformation towards a low-carbon and resilient urban future but the transformation depends on how local governments approach urban planning, governance, management, and financing.
Measuring their climate progress and building capacities accordingly are critical steps in this transition. Cities must be equipped with essential information about their current status regarding climate vulnerabilities, greenhouse gas emission reduction efforts, and resilience measures.
This data-driven approach serves as the foundation for setting ambitious targets, tracking progress, and making informed policies and decisions. By developing credible frameworks with clear evaluation criteria, cities can establish a common language, benchmark their performance against peers, identify strengths and weaknesses in development policies, and foster transparency and accountability. This facilitates evidence-based decision-making processes, empowering urban administrators to make impactful changes for a sustainable and resilient future.
Moreover, measuring climate progress can also help cities make more informed budgeting decisions and garnering financial support from external funders. Private financiers prioritize the bankability of projects and require accurate direction for effective investment. Access to standardized, up-to-date climate information, including budgetary allocations, benefits both city officials and private investors. This also acts as a stepping stone in bridging the bankability gap and mobilizing financial resources to support cities’ sustainable endeavours.
Indian cities like Mumbai and more recently – Ahmedabad are taking the lead in combating climate change by creating their own climate action plans. These plans go beyond greenhouse gas inventories and include identifying climate vulnerable areas, proposing effective implementation measures, and outlining the required financial resources. Additionally, the Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework (CSCAF) by the Government of India serves as a credible and valuable guide, helping cities diagnose climate action gaps and collate data for a comprehensive understanding of progress and improvement areas. Other innovative tools like the cost-benefit analysis tool for smart surfaces, developed by the Smart Surfaces Coalition and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), can also be shared among city governments to combat extreme summer heat and facilitate better urban planning.
However, to translate and implement the learnings from such frameworks, two other key elements come into play: institutional capacity and political will. Urban administrators must be equipped with the necessary skills for data collection, strategic planning, investment evaluation, and administrative coordination.
A common challenge that municipalities often face is the compartmentalization of climate change expertise within specific departments, which hinders comprehensive and cross-cutting interventions. To overcome this, strong emphasis must be placed on ensuring accountability in administration. Furthermore, limited jurisdiction of city governments, coupled with a preference for other development concerns, such as access to basic infrastructure, can pose additional obstacles. Striking a balance between these priorities and integrating climate action into overall development planning are crucial for a sustainable future.
As part of the U20 Communiqué 2023, over 100 city mayors implore G20 nations to unite as “equal and valuable partners” in tackling climate challenges head-on, while creating enabling environments to support their local governments. As we confront challenges of unprecedented magnitude, the importance of collaborative efforts with multiple stakeholders and coordinated actions across government levels becomes abundantly clear. These essential measures will steer us towards a sustainable and climate resilient future for generations to come.
(Sanjay Seth is the Senior Director and Rhea Srivastava is the Associate Fellow from Sustainable Infrastructure Programme at TERI.)
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