Climate Change - Question of Cities

Mainstreaming green buildings in climate era

More than two decades later, certified green or sustainable buildings account for just over five percent of the constructed stock in India. While the two rating systems, the Indian Green Building Council and Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment, have…

Moving towards sustainable goals brick by brick

The green building movement has been gaining momentum in India with governments doling out incentives. A recent report ranks India third in the world for certified green buildings. However, outdated bye-laws of urban local bodies and the lack of awareness…

Countries set green examples in buildings

The effects of climate change are visible in all cities across the world. Tackling this through green solutions means buildings that integrate energy-efficient measures to improve energy performance, sustainable water management, and recycle and minimise waste. That more countries and…

Margins to mainstream: Ambojwadi shows the way to climate vulnerability mapping

Among the most marginalised of informal settlements in Mumbai, Ambojwadi is a picture of climate crisis where heat stress and flooding exacerbate the lack of basic amenities. The ground realities and lived experiences of residents here, as of millions in…

Research: How local communities can assert voice in mapping

Marginalised urban communities bear disproportionate impacts of climate change with heat stress, floods and so on, but they are hardly consulted in the formal climate action plans. Community-led climate mapping and action can actively shape local understanding of climate change…

Singareni Colony’s story of localised climate mapping

Neighbourhoods in cities are distinctively shaped by terrain, built environment, typologies, social dynamics, politics, and historical and spatial contexts. As a result, climate change vulnerability greatly varies across neighbourhoods. Even within a neighbourhood, some people and dwellings are exposed to…

Communities are central to climate plans and action

From advocacy work and campaigns against unsustainable development projects, especially in areas with marginalised populations, mapping the areas for climate vulnerability was a seamless extension for Tamil Nadu’s Poovulagin Nanbargal (Friends of the Earth). It has run programmes in colleges…

‘Vulnerability mapping directly improves lives of those most affected by climate risks’

The devastation from floods, droughts and heat across India every year has heightened the need for effective strategies and adaptive measures. The report, Mapping India’s Climate Vulnerability: A District Level Assessment, by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water, analyses…

Bad news for Earth: Hot leaves can’t catch carbon from air

Leafy canopies play a crucial role in regulating the global climate – and mitigating global warming. But, as a recent study shows, rising temperatures will severely affect the ability of tropical forests to photosynthesise. This, in turn, will hinder their…

Guwahati is fast axing its trees and undermining its future

Among Assam’s largest cities, Guwahati has turned into a huge construction site with a dwindling tree cover. The city lost 12 square kilometres of trees between 2001 and 2023 which is the size of London Heathrow airport while Assam’s forest…