RESILIENCE – Making Indian Cities Climate Smart

The India-UK partnership focuses on making Indian cities climate-smart by integrating climate risk data into urban planning and infrastructure. Key initiatives include the 'Future Proofing Indian Cities' programme, which assessed 59 cities for environmental risks, and the 'Disaster Proofing Indian Smart Cities' project, which provides guidance on the resilience of Digital Information Technology (DIT). The partnership has delivered specific action plans and investment strategies for cities such as Mysore, Madurai, Bangalore, Aluva, and Kolkata, while also supporting the development of national Heat Action Plans to combat increasing extreme heat waves.

• The 'Future Proofing Indian Cities' programme, developed by ATKINS and University College of London (UCL) with DFID UK, assessed 59 Indian cities for environmental risks. The analysis revealed that these cities face diverse risks from climate hazards and resource scarcities, which are exacerbated by investments in water, building, and energy infrastructure that ignore climate risks.
• The partnership implemented specific urban development strategies in four cities: Mysore focused on reducing emission intensity; Madurai co-created a City Action Plan for blue-green infrastructure; Bangalore identified transformational opportunities for water and sanitation; and Aluva developed a 50-year masterplan covering transport, solid waste, and flooding proofing.
• To ensure the resilience of the 'Smart Cities Mission', the 'Disaster Proofing Indian Smart Cities' project created a guidance document for the procurement and selection of Digital Information Technology (DIT). This ensures that critical emergency services can continue to function during natural hazards.
• The UK government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Kolkata Municipal Corporation to establish a roadmap for low carbon and climate resilient development, aiming to make Kolkata the first climate resilient city in India through pilots in solar plans, water conservation, and smart mobility.
• Analysis by CDKN indicates that annual mean temperatures across India are rising and extreme heat waves are becoming more intense and frequent. This led to the development of 'Heat Action Plans' and the 'Roadmap on National Heatwave Management in India' launched by the NDMA, WHO, and other partners in September 2016.

APA

Climate and Development Knowledge Network (n.d.). RESILIENCE – Making Indian Cities Climate Smart. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/India-UK-Partnership-Climate-Smart-Cities-final-version-for-upload-v2.pdf

Chicago

Climate and Development Knowledge Network. RESILIENCE – Making Indian Cities Climate Smart. n.d. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/India-UK-Partnership-Climate-Smart-Cities-final-version-for-upload-v2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |title=RESILIENCE – Making Indian Cities Climate Smart |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/India-UK-Partnership-Climate-Smart-Cities-final-version-for-upload-v2.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climateanddevelopmentknowledgenetworkndresilience, author = {{Climate and Development Knowledge Network}}, title = {{RESILIENCE – Making Indian Cities Climate Smart}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/India-UK-Partnership-Climate-Smart-Cities-final-version-for-upload-v2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }