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

The study analyzes the impact of urbanization on natural infrastructure in 10 major Indian cities from 2000 to 2015, finding significant increases in built-up areas and a corresponding loss of surface water and groundwater recharge potential. It advocates for an integrated urban blue-green approach to planning to mitigate risks like urban flooding and water scarcity.

• 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 study cities occurred on areas with very high or high recharge potential between 2000 and 2015.
• Urbanization disconnected from the natural environment leads to negative outcomes including urban flooding, water scarcity, and increased groundwater stress, often because development is sited on vulnerable zones like lake beds, floodplains, and low-lying areas.

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} }