Leveraging digital transformation to promote climate-sensitive and inclusive urban development

Context

India's rapid urbanisation is likely to continue in the future. Current trends indicate that by 2050, more than half of the country's population will live in cities. The influx of people into cities will strain already limited resources and infrastructure, making it difficult to meet the basic needs of all citizens. The risk of natural disasters tends to be higher in densely populated urban areas. Vulnerable communities often lack the resources and support systems to effectively prepare for and recover from such events, making them even more vulnerable. The impacts of climate change can disproportionately affect marginalised groups. They tend to live in areas that are more vulnerable to climate-related risks or lack the means to adapt to and cope with changing environmental conditions, exacerbating their already precarious situation.

The Government of India (GoI) has introduced various reforms, programmes, and missions to promote climate-sensitive urban development and disaster risk management and make cities more climate resilient. However, the capacities currently available for this kind of urban development and for the application of risk-informed, integrated, resilient and futureproof urban development approaches are limited.

Objective

Institutions in India are applying approaches for resilient and climate-friendly urban development to ensure access to public services that consider disaster risk management and the leave no one behind principle of the Agenda 2030.

Approach

The project aims to provide advisory support in the following areas:

1. Policy Support: implementing regulatory planning frameworks for resilient and climate-resilient urban development that considers disaster risk management and the ‘Leave No One Behind’ principle of the Agenda 2030.
2. Capacity development measures: improving the capacities of relevant actors and institutions on resilient and climate-friendly urban development.
3. Innovative, data-based projects: introducing open innovation and data-driven decision-making in resilient urban development projects that consider disaster risk management and the  leave no one behind principle of the Agenda 2030.
4. Knowledge exchange: fostering peer-to-peer expert network platforms and communities of practice for mutual learning and exchange.

Last update: July 2023