Workshop organised on ‘Building Climate-Resilient Cities’

Visakhapatnam : Climate change is a global phenomenon impacting urban life, with costly consequences for basic urban services, infrastructure, housing, livelihoods, and health, stated Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation Mayor G Hari Venkata Kumari.

Attending a workshop on ‘Building Climate-Resilient Cities: From Planning to Implementation’ here on Wednesday, the Mayor said that as a coastal industrial city, Visakhapatnam is particularly vulnerable to climate hazards and disasters.

A coordinated approach and collective action at the global, regional, and local levels are crucial for effectively tackling climate change,” she added.

International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) South Asia, in partnership with C40, organised the workshop to demonstrate climate resilient city action planning processes and share locally applicable best practices for Indian cities.

A one-day workshop was a critical step towards equipping city officials with the tools and knowledge essential for developing city level climate resilient and net zero action plans and enable long term climate resilient planning.

Since 2023, the cities of Kakinada, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam have been implementing the “Mainstreaming Climate Actions in Andhra Pradesh” project, aimed at supporting cities to embed climate considerations into urban planning, financing and service delivery and aligning with global and national mitigation efforts such as India’s net zero goal and the Paris Agreement.

The workshop focused on data requirements, technical tools, institutional and governance frameworks and participatory approaches for low-carbon development and resilient urban planning, with over 60 participants across academia, municipal governments, NGOs and research think tanks.

The workshop also showcased best practices from the cities of Udaipur, Tirunelveli and Ahmedabad in areas such as urban forestry, early warning systems for floods and solar power based opportunity charging stations for electric buses.

Speaking on the occasion, Additional Municipal Commissioner of GVMC R Srimannarayana said “Traditionally, we have only focused on implementation funds for projects, but now we must begin assessing their impacts on climate resilience and mitigation. All new urban development projects should prioritize climate resilience”

Vijayawada Municipal Corporation Additional Commissioner (projects) Dastimi Chandra Sekhar mentioned that ICLEI South Asia is offering invaluable technical assistance in developing guidelines for heat-resilient, sustainably cooled buildings, tailored to VMC’s unique needs and priorities.

Kakinada Municipal Corporation Executive Engineer K. Matsya Raju, Deputy Municipal Commissioner (i/c) Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation Vishal Khanama, Deputy Secretary General, ICLEI and Executive Director, ICLEI South Asia Emani Kumar, among others, were present.