Kochi, India Adopts Nature-based Solutions for Climate Resilience

A case study by the World Resources Institute (WRI) detailing how WRI India and the Kochi Municipal Corporation (KMC) implemented the Kawaki initiative to build climate resilience through urban forests in Kochi, India.

• Kochi is highly vulnerable to climate hazards due to its geography and declining green space; it sits less than 5 meters above sea level, leaving it prone to coastal erosion and flooding. WRI estimates that 26% of the population lives within flood plains and 31% are regularly exposed to temperatures exceeding 86 degrees F (30 degrees C).
• The Kawaki initiative, launched in 2021 by WRI India, the Kochi Municipal Corporation (KMC), and local communities, establishes urban forests to mitigate the urban heat island effect and reduce flood risks by increasing water absorption and preventing soil erosion.
• The Kawaki program utilized a science-based methodology involving participatory "mapathons" with citizen scientists to identify planting sites based on heat and flood risks, and the Urban Community Resilience Assessment tool to survey over 600 households across four communities.
• The initiative provides socio-economic benefits by employing unskilled laborers for tree-planting and maintenance through a local government program. The program's sustainability was strengthened in 2022 when Kochi included Kawaki in its municipal budget.
• Kochi has integrated nature-based solutions into its long-term urban planning by formally adopting the Guidance Document for Resilience Planning into the Kochi City Master Plan 2040.

APA

World Resources Institute (2023). Kochi, India Adopts Nature-based Solutions for Climate Resilience. https://www.wri.org/outcomes/kochi-india-adopts-nature-based-solutions-climate-resilience

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Kochi, India Adopts Nature-based Solutions for Climate Resilience. 2023. https://www.wri.org/outcomes/kochi-india-adopts-nature-based-solutions-climate-resilience.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Kochi, India Adopts Nature-based Solutions for Climate Resilience |date=2 June 2023 |url=https://www.wri.org/outcomes/kochi-india-adopts-nature-based-solutions-climate-resilience |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2023kochi, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Kochi, India Adopts Nature-based Solutions for Climate Resilience}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2023}, month = jun, url = {https://www.wri.org/outcomes/kochi-india-adopts-nature-based-solutions-climate-resilience}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }