Climate Resilient Cities: Assessing Differential Vulnerability to Climate Hazards in Urban India Report Launch and Roundtable Discussion

Existing vulnerability assessments largely focus on exposure to climate hazards, overlooking socioeconomic factors that determine the vulnerability of people and communities.

Our research, across different Indian cities, indicates inequality is driving vulnerability to climate change – highlighting the need to underpin urban development with equity. We present these critical findings and a framework to help assess vulnerability to climate risks in our new report, ‘Climate Resilient Cities: Assessing Differential Vulnerability to Climate Hazards in Urban India.

Based on our work Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kochi, where vulnerability was assessed as part of creating city-level climate action plans, the report helps in the better understanding of the social landscapes of cities and how they interact with climate hazards to create differential impacts.

Applying the Climate Hazard and Vulnerability Assessment (CHVA) framework allows urban planners, resilience practitioners and policymakers to better understand climate vulnerability and apply the learnings in the planning, designing, and implementation of interventions that promote resilience.

The launch will be followed by a roundtable discussion, on the Report, featuring respected researchers, policymakers and practitioners working at the intersection of urban poverty, climate vulnerability, and disaster resilience in Indian cities.

Special Address

Ani Dasgupta, President & CEO, World Resources Institute