Adaptation for India's cities

India's population is among the most vulnerable in the world to natural hazards, including storms, floods, droughts, earthquakes and landslides. India also has the world's largest rural population and second largest urban population.

Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of many existing hazards and bring an increased probability of extreme events and new hazards (for instance those linked to sea level rise).

The direct and indirect impacts of climate change will become key economic and political questions in South Asia, especially as they start to affect economic growth and dislocate the lives of millions of people, many of whom are city dwellers.

Reducing urban climate change vulnerability needs a shift in public policy towards adaptation rather than mitigation

In Indian cities, vulnerability has typically contributed to overall risk more than hazard exposure has. The most vulnerable urban residents are the poor, slum and squatter settlement dwellers, and those who suffer insecurities. These insecurities arise from: poor governance; the lack of investment in infrastructure and in the commons; and strong connections between the political class, real estate developers and public agencies.

Who or what is at risk in a typical Indian city?

• people living in traditional and informal settlements, which are often in the areas most at risk from floods and wind-storms
• industrial and informal service sector workers, whose occupations place them at significant risk from natural hazards
• buildings that are vulnerable to wind, water and geological hazards; especially traditional and informal housing
• public and private infrastructure – transport systems; water, sewage and gas pipelines; drainage, flood and coastal defence systems; power and telecommunications infrastructure and critical social infrastructure such as hospitals, schools and emergency services
• ecosystems and the natural environment, especially wetlands, rivers, coastal ecosystems and groundwater systems.

Reducing urban climate change vulnerability needs a shift in public policy towards adaptation rather than the current emphasis on mitigation, which is led by wealthy Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. This policy shift must be grounded in the institutional, socio-cultural and political realities of India and recognise the different risks and adaptation needs of different cities. It must also focus on the poorest and most vulnerable people. This could be implemented by incorporating climate change risk assessment, adaptation and mitigation measures into India's ongoing national hazard mitigation programmes, and building strong links with existing urban renewal interventions.

India needs a multi-level climate adaptation framework that works at national, state, city and neighbourhood level and brings together public, private and civil society sectors. The institutions and political will to execute this are weak or non-existent in most cities and states. These will need to be built, given incentives and linked to existing initiatives. Bottom-up community mobilisation will be crucial to adaptation that protects the interests of the poor and vulnerable. Without this, adaptation may bring a range of anti-poor interventions including a vicious cycle of displacement.

Aromar Revi
Director, TARU,A 1/276, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi 110 029, India
arevi@taru.org