Urban India Takes Climate Action

How the IKI supports mainstreaming of climate considerations into urban planning for a sustainable future. 

Urban India is increasingly integrating climate considerations into urban planning to address pressing challenges such as rising temperatures, flooding, and water scarcity. This integration is crucial for enhancing resilience and promoting sustainable development, ensuring cities can thrive in the face of climate change. As significant contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, while simultaneously being highly vulnerable to climate impacts, cities must adopt climate-sensitive planning strategies to secure a sustainable future. Urban planning is pivotal in shaping cities that align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ensuring inclusivity, resilience, and sustainability. Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised this need in his recent budget speech, stating that “Urban planning will determine the fate of our cities in Amrit Kaal [The Prime Minister’s vision 2047 of an era for a ‘New India’].”

Urbanisation also contributes to the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, where cities become significantly hotter than rural areas due to increased built-up surfaces and reduced vegetation. Climate-sensitive urban planning, incorporating green infrastructure, reflective surfaces, and sustainable materials, is essential for enhancing urban resilience. Strategic land use planning and climate-responsive regulations can help regulate temperatures, improve air quality, and enhance overall liveability.

Advancing Climate-Responsive Urban Development

The Integrated Urban Climate Action for Low-Carbon and Resilient Cities (Urban-Act) project aims to promote integrated urban planning that prioritises climate considerations. 

Supported by the International Climate Initiative (IKI), Urban-Act is designed to drive innovative urban solutions and enhance governance frameworks across multiple sectors. 

The examples below provide an insight into the project work:

In March 2024, Urban-Act collaborated with the National Institute for Urban Affairs (NIUA) to convene a National Expert Roundtable on Climate-Sensitive Urban Planning. This roundtable sought to assist the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in evaluating current urban planning frameworks in India and envisioning a climate-responsive master plan. Diverse stakeholders, including government officials, urban planners, academics, NGOs, multilateral organisations, and private-sector representatives, discussed the need to integrate climate risk assessments into master plans.

As part of its commitment to mainstreaming local climate action, Urban-Act supported the Coimbatore Municipal Corporation (a civil administrative unit at local level) in 

• developing a Detailed Project Report for a Bio Park and
• an Integrated Biodiversity and Community Master Plan to enhance green cover around two lakes in the city. 

These efforts aim to boost biodiversity and create multifunctional green spaces that contribute to both climate adaptation and mitigation.

Urban-Act has also undertaken an Urban Heat Island analysis study for its partner cities, Shimla and Panaji, using Land Surface Temperature trends to identify urban heat hotspots. These insights inform climate-sensitive urban design interventions, with strategies such as expanding urban green cover to improve thermal comfort and urban liveability.

The project also supports Coimbatore in mapping and geo-tagging urban green spaces within a specific ward. This initiative enhances spatial data availability for better green space management and strengthens urban planning efforts.

Through these initiatives, Urban-Act empowers cities to make informed decisions that bridge gaps between policy and implementation while strengthening local climate action frameworks. The project’s efforts collectively contribute to mainstreaming climate resilience in urban planning while fostering cross-sectoral collaboration and also developing an enabling environment for climate actions.

Integration of Local and National Frameworks

Integrating local urban planning through national guidelines is vital for creating cohesive, climate-responsive cities. National frameworks provide overarching policies, while local planning ensures context-specific implementation tailored to unique challenges. Aligning these levels enhances governance and streamlines decision-making.

The Urban-Act project facilitates dialogues between national and local stakeholders, promoting capacity building and providing technical assistance to embed climate considerations into urban planning frameworks. By supporting initiatives like vulnerability assessments and participatory decision-making, Urban-Act helps cities align with national climate commitments while ensuring locally relevant strategies.

As India continues its rapid urbanisation journey, integrating climate considerations into urban planning is essential if the country is to build resilient cities capable of addressing future challenges while also contributing to sustainable development goals.

The topic has been an overarching priority at the IKI since 2015.

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