Robust and transformative adaptation measures can make our cities climate-resilient, say urban experts

Sponge cities integrate "landscape design elements that allow percolation of water, and create natural drainage and micro-climates to manage heat island effects." (Photo by Barikive via Pexels)

This July, Delhi, Gurugram and other parts of NCR went under water after days of heavy rains. Last summer, a ravaging heat wave scorched swathes of the same region, with temperatures reaching 49 degrees Celsius in some pockets of Delhi. After a severe heat wave earlier this year, Mumbai too, as usual, sank after heavy rain in July. And these are not isolated cases. As extreme weather becomes the new normal, will our cities become unliveable by the time India turns 100? Or are sustainable and climate-resistant cities an achievable dream in the next 24 years? Experts working in the urban design space say the immediate answer lies in better adaptation strategies keeping in mind future population growth, rather than mitigation – which would be a long haul.

Urban planning meets weather patterns

Key aspects that can make our cities better living spaces include urban planning that takes into account climate and weather patterns; sponge cities where we reclaim our lost water bodies; compact cities that require less travel time and not massive, contiguous urban sprawls that run for 100 kilometres.

Then there should be focus on mass-transit and not car-centric travel to reduce congestion; fewer asphalt and concrete surfaces and more green spaces and urban forests to cut the urban heat island effect; robust drainage systems that take into account intense rain; and better weather prediction systems to warn us in advance.

“India's urban population is projected to double over the next three decades. How we expand and develop our cities to accommodate this enormous growth in urban population—and how we redevelop parts of our cities that already exist—will determine whether or not we are climate-resilient,” says Shreya Gadepalli, noted urban planning expert and founder of UrbanWorks.

Gadepalli bats for dense, compact, and mixed-use cities with a fine grid of streets with vibrant, active edges rather than cities with large mono-functional residential and commercial gated complexes behind fortress-like walls, with highways to connect them.

“This new form of people-oriented development—as against car-oriented disasters we have created over the past few decades—would reduce travel distances and promote healthy and green modes like walking, cycling, and public transport.”

This would ensure that our collective energy needs drop dramatically, making us climate-resilient and economically prosperous, Gadepalli says.

Sponge cities to reduce flooding, heat

Urban floods have become increasingly common in our cities. The problem has especially aggravated because of extreme weather patterns where intense spells of rain overwhelm the already-choked and old drainage infrastructure.

The flooding is exacerbated by the narrowing and concretized storm-water drains, constructions in natural waterways, and encroachments in water bodies, which would otherwise soak in most of the rainwater.

A National Institute of Urban Affairs factsheet also says urban floods are a result of inadequate or poor maintenance of storm-water drains, improper planning, encroachment of water bodies, occupation of low-lying areas, modification of catchment areas, and climate change.

Experts say there is a need to have a relook at the capacity of storm water drains in the wake of the increased spells of intense rainfall.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, says Prof Kapil Gupta of IIT-Bombay’s department of civil engineering, has been alerting us for the past few years that there will be an increase in heavy rainfall in shorter spans of time. Recent events in our cities this monsoon indicate that this is now a grim reality.

"We, therefore, need to supplement our existing drainage systems to accommodate the increasing flow – this can be done either by resizing the drains or by judiciously integrating best management practices such as underground holding ponds, nature-based solutions, etc., into the drainage infrastructure,” Gupta says.

Gupta says many of our cities – be it coastal, inland, hilly, riverine or those near dams and reservoirs – are now vulnerable to flooding.

“Most of them have reached a saturation point in terms of population growth and accommodation and developmental activities have shifted to low-lying areas and near riverbanks,” Gupta says. The new developments should be designed to absorb at least 50 percent more rainfall intensity than the existing values, he says.

According to Gadepalli, a vital element of this new approach to development planning must be to protect watersheds and create sponge cities that reduce flooding and increase groundwater.

Lubaina Rangwala, program head, urban development and resilience, WRI-India, also says that globally, the 'sponge city' concept is gaining much attention.

“These are basically landscape design elements that allow percolation of water, and create natural drainage and micro-climates to manage heat island effects. These, of course, have immense co-benefits on biodiversity, public health and quality of life,” Rangwala said.

Rangwala, however, cautioned these would not work in isolation, especially in concretized cities. “One needs a systematic approach to integrate such elements as part of city infrastructure.”

Gadepalli says fantastic tree cover and green spaces would significantly reduce heat shocks. “Fewer asphalt and concrete surfaces—that would have been otherwise required for the movement and parking of cars—would reduce heat gain and keep our cities cool.”

Need for transformative action

According to climate and sustainability strategist Prarthana Borah, transformative action is required if we want resilient cities by 2047.

Present city climate action plans, especially in India, include resilience approaches tilted to mitigation rather than adaptation. Cities require innovative adaptation measures more than the present reactive and sectoral approaches, she says.

“We do not have to wait for a disaster to overcome us to investigate a recovery plan. Instead, we need to look at what we can do to reduce the impact of an anticipated disaster, which is likely to happen in the short-term, in addition to long-term mitigation approaches,” Borah, director of CDP India, said.

Adaptation measures integrated in city urban planning has immediate benefits with economic and social advantages. These can be financially more cost-effective, curtail expenses on disaster relief and recovery as well as have a positive implication on human health and wellbeing, Borah explained.

For future-resilient cities, scientific risk assessment and creating mechanisms to address these risks is essential within a city plan, she says.

Integrated urban planning where climate change adaptation is woven into urban development plans and not seen as an add-on should be the way ahead if we want our cities to be resilient by 2047, Borah says.