Search Climate Insights Directory

The document discusses the tension between aesthetic and functional choices in urban greening across Indian cities, noting that many commonly planted exotic species are prone to uprooting during extreme weather events like cyclones. It highlights a lack of scientific rigour in national guidelines and fragmented institutional management of urban greenery, while weighing the biodiversity benefits of native species against the perceived hardiness of non-native species in urban environments.

The document discusses the application of extreme event attribution to understand the role of climate change in specific weather events, using two Indian case studies to illustrate the complexities of vulnerability and the masking effects of aerosols.

The Raising Risk Awareness (RRA) project focused on applying extreme event attribution to understand the role of climate change in specific weather events in Ethiopia, India, and Kenya, while using the Surging Seas tool to assess coastal flooding risk in Bangladesh. The project sought to bridge the gap between science, communication, and policy to improve disaster risk management in developing countries.

The report examines the role of South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) in fostering sustainable urban development and climate resilience in the Global South. It highlights the importance of the New Urban Agenda and the 2030 Agenda, arguing that traditional North-South cooperation is insufficient. Through various case studies from Africa, Asia, and Latin America, the document demonstrates how cities share knowledge on green transportation, water management, and urban planning. Key examples include Shenzhen's carbon trading, India's water resilience efforts, and Mexico City's green bonds. The report concludes that while cities are critical to the 'climate battle,' they often face institutional and financial barriers that SSTC can help overcome through peer-to-peer learning and innovative financing.

The paper identifies three primary barriers to the adoption of residential rooftop solar PV in India: a lack of objective, accessible information; a lack of customized financing options; and poor coordination between government agencies and utilities. It emphasizes that meeting India's 40 GW rooftop solar target by 2022 requires a consumer-centric approach that complements top-down policies with bottom-up initiatives.

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.

The Green Power Market Development Group (GPMDG) India, a partnership between the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), works to increase renewable energy adoption in India's commercial and industrial sectors. By addressing policy and market barriers, the group facilitates procurement, shares best practices, and aggregates demand for technologies like solar PV. As of July 31, 2015, GPMDG supported 250 MW of renewable energy, including 110 MW facilitated by its Bangalore chapter in Karnataka during its first year of operations.