Urban Blue-Green Conundrum: A 10-City Study on the Impacts of Urbanization on Natural Infrastructure in India

This working paper examines the relationship between urban expansion and the loss of natural infrastructure (blue-green cover) across India's 10 most populated cities between 2000 and 2015. Using remote sensing and satellite imagery, the study highlights how increased paved surfaces lead to reduced groundwater recharge and higher flood risks, recommending an integrated urban blue-green approach to planning to increase resilience.

• Between 2000 and 2015, the built-up area in the 10 studied cities grew by an average of 47 percent within 0–20 km of the city center and 134 percent in the periphery (20–50 km).
• The 10 cities experienced an estimated loss of 307 sq. km of surface water between 2000 and 2015, representing a 15 percent decrease.
• Approximately 44 percent (1,177 sq. km) of new development in the 0–50 km urban region of the 10 cities between 2000 and 2015 occurred on areas identified as having high or very high recharge potential.
• Urbanization in India is projected to result in the urban population doubling from approximately 400 million in 2018 to 800 million by 2050, with estimates indicating that 70 to 80 percent of the infrastructure required for 2030 has not yet been built.
• The loss of natural infrastructure due to increased paved surfaces causes interlinked negative outcomes, including increased rainwater runoff, higher flood risk, and dropping aquifer levels due to reduced groundwater recharge.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Urban Blue-Green Conundrum: A 10-City Study on the Impacts of Urbanization on Natural Infrastructure in India. https://www.wri.org/research/urban-blue-green-conundrum-10-city-study-impacts-urbanization-natural-infrastructure-india

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Urban Blue-Green Conundrum: A 10-City Study on the Impacts of Urbanization on Natural Infrastructure in India. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/urban-blue-green-conundrum-10-city-study-impacts-urbanization-natural-infrastructure-india.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Urban Blue-Green Conundrum: A 10-City Study on the Impacts of Urbanization on Natural Infrastructure in India |url=https://www.wri.org/research/urban-blue-green-conundrum-10-city-study-impacts-urbanization-natural-infrastructure-india |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendurban, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Urban Blue-Green Conundrum: A 10-City Study on the Impacts of Urbanization on Natural Infrastructure in India}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/urban-blue-green-conundrum-10-city-study-impacts-urbanization-natural-infrastructure-india}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }