The Indian urban system is the second largest in the world with over 498 million people living in 5,200 cities, as per the United Nations-Habitat World Cities Report 2022. Climate change being a global phenomenon is largely impacting urban lives. As a result, cities need to take proactive steps towards climate resilience to mitigate the effects of global warming, such as increasing renewable energy sources, promoting energy efficiency, restoring green cover, and providing capacity building and training for ULBs.
Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi made the pledge at COP26. In order to achieve success, a coordinated approach is required at the national, state, and local levels. Cities at the local government level are able to make the greatest difference in India. ULBs should consider implementing the following mitigation and adaptation measures at the local level to increase climate resilience.
Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework (CSCAF)
This first-of-its-kind framework in the world – ClimateSmart Cities Assessment Framework (CSCAF) framework at C-Cube, NIUA – has been developed to create synergy across all climate actions which are being undertaken in Indian cities by various stakeholders. A range of partners work with the Centre to strengthen the capacities of Indian cities in understanding, implementing, and monitoring climate change impacts at local levels. The framework focuses on inspiring cities to implement climate-informed actions leading to sustainable urban development and improved quality of life. The framework is broadly categorized into five themes namely; (i) Urban Planning, Green Cover and Biodiversity, (ii) Energy and Green Buildings, (iii) Mobility and Air Quality, (iv) Water Management, and (v) Waste Management. As the cities in India are diverse in climatic zones and geographies, the framework provides the cities with tailor-made solutions through the diagnostic report. For phase three of CSCAF, 220+ cities have participated and will be able to know their current status towards climate resilience.
Dedicated Action Plans at City Level
As specified in the technical document of ClimateSmart Cities Assessment Framework 3.0, following city level action plans help in identifying and addressing the dedicated climate change actions.
City Climate Action Plan
The city must prepare and implement the Climate Action Plan. It must be developed in a comprehensive manner covering all sectors, including waste management, integrated water management, urban planning, green cover, biodiversity, mobility and air pollution monitoring, energy efficiency, green buildings, and disaster risk preparedness. Based on a GHG emissions inventory and a vulnerability assessment to climate change, the plan should propose both mitigation and adaptation measures.
Clean Air Action Plan
As mandated by the National Clean Air Programme (2019), the Clean Air Action Plan reviews the efforts the city has made to improve air quality, with planning and regular air quality management strategies.
Water Resource Management Plan
A detailed Water Resource Management Plan (with short, medium, and long term actions) for the city is needed to assess the availability and demand of water, as well as its uses for various sectors, projected future water demand, and water quality.
Flood Management Plan
This plan should include information about floods, flooding hotspots (mapping), levels and frequency of floods, flood/water stagnation, detailed flood risk assessments for five, ten and fifty years, and mechanisms for implementing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in accordance with MoHUA/state guidelines.
Disaster Management Plan
Cities should identify their potential hazards and be prepared to respond promptly in case of a disaster. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) recommends a city-level disaster management plan that focuses on mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.
Training (practical) & Capacity Building
Training should be targeted at city officials and should further focus on governance and management processes that are necessary to address climate challenges. In addition, training should be provided to trainers from regional training institutions in order to extend the reach of capacity building. National and international climate experts should share their insights, and good practices with urban professionals and city officials in explaining the crucial aspects of climate action.
Municipal Funding by Trading Carbon Credits
The availability of financial resources at the city level is one of the most pressing challenges faced by ULBs when implementing climate action projects. For cities to implement the identified climate projects at the local level, alternative funding options must be developed. Among the various funding options, trading carbon credits has been widely discussed as one of the best solutions for cities.
Indian Parliament passed the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill 2022 recently, which promotes domestic carbon credit trade in the country. Carbon trading involves the purchase and sale of carbon credits, which are permits that allow owners to emit a certain amount of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases. As compensation, they are encouraged to invest in green projects to earn the right to do more emissions.
Indore is the first city in the country to generate income from carbon trading. Indore generated Rs.50 lakh in November 2020 for reducing 1.70 lakh tonnes of carbon emissions under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) programme . Additionally, Indore has earned an income of Rs.8.34 crore from the sale of 70,000 carbon credits during 2020-21 . This initiative provides a pathway for other Indian cities to identify projects to earn carbon credits and the revenue generated can be utilized for climate projects.
The concept of generating revenue from carbon trading at the local government level is still in its infancy, and cities will require assistance in understanding the process. To accomplish this, state, regional, and national governments must provide the required assistance along with training and capacity-building platforms to the city officials.
Conclusion
In order to achieve the desired outcomes, significant investment is needed in terms of human and financial capital. Additionally, the complexity of the challenge and the interdependency of these initiatives requires a comprehensive approach that involves multiple stakeholders, such as governments, the private sector, and civil society. Climate action strategies should be integrated, and all direct and indirect stakeholders should collaborate. Furthermore, the impact of these projects needs to be monitored and evaluated continuously to guarantee their success. It will help in creating a sense of accountability and ensure that the strategies are properly implemented. Furthermore, it will enable stakeholders to work together to address the impacts of climate change and ensure the success of
these strategies.
Furthermore, the majority of attention is focused on mitigation; however, adaptation must also be considered. Adaptation should be incorporated into every planning and implementation exercise, as it will help us to better prepare for and respond to the impacts of climate change. It is important to ensure that we are building resilience to these impacts and have strategies in place to address them.