Despite their economic importance, most urban areas are ill-prepared for the growing risks of climate change; these local bodies must be trained to fight climate changes
Cities are centres of economic growth, contributing around 63 per cent to India’s GDP while housing approximately 36 per cent of its population. This urban population is expected to reach 50 per cent by 2050, further intensifying the challenges cities face from extreme weather events such as heatwaves, floods, and droughts as recently witnessed in Wayanad, Chennai, New Delhi and other cities. According to a study by IIT Gandhinagar, the proportion of urban areas exposed to extreme weather events is set to increase significantly as global temperatures rise beyond 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. While the growing vulnerability is felt across rural and urban centres, the multiplier effect of damage caused to urban infrastructure, lives and livelihood on the larger socio-economic conditions as cities drive national GDP.
Moreover, most of the cities are ill-equipped to tackle these climate risks. A lack of clearly mandated roles in climate response, insufficient financial allocations, and limited institutional capacities exacerbate this challenge. To enable transformative, city-led climate action, it is essential to align Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the specific needs and capacities of cities. This requires designing enabling frameworks to help urban areas build climate resilience. Without such frameworks, cities may struggle to cope with mounting climate risks. India has played a very proactive role in shaping policy and strategies for climate change mitigation and adaptation.
The country’s early adoption of environmental policies can be traced back to the Environmental Protection Act of 1986, a direct result of the United Nations Conference on Human Environment (Stockholm Conference) in 1972. This laid the foundation for key initiatives such as the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) in 2008 and the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC) in 2015. India has also spearheaded international efforts, including the establishment of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
At the sub-national level, 34 States and Union Territories have prepared State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCC) to address state-specific vulnerabilities in line with the NAPCC framework. Although the concept of city-level Climate Action Plans (CAPs) is relatively new in India, cities are developing these plans to address local risks such as heatwaves, water scarcity, and flooding for example, Mumbai, Coimbatore, Rajkot, Siliguri, and Udaipur.
These climate action plans are often in collaboration with international networks like C40 cities supported by global donor agencies. However, a major limitation remains: Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) do not have a clear mandate to respond to climate challenges. While the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 assigns ULBs certain responsibilities, such as urban forestry and environmental protection, “climate change” is not explicitly mentioned among the 18 functions designated to ULBs. This creates a significant governance gap at the local level. Although the National Mission for Sustainable Habitat (NMSH) 2.0 encourages ULBs to design action plans as one of the key strategies, it falls short of providing concrete guidelines, financial assistance, or incentives to assist city governments in these efforts.
The absence of a designated decision-making authority at the city level further compounds the problem.
While the SAPCC guidelines call for establishing climate cells at the state level, there is no similar provision for cities. Even when ULBs do develop climate action strategies, their implementation is hampered by overlapping mandates across multiple agencies and parastatals, with no centralised body to oversee or coordinate these efforts.
Additionally, national climate policies such as the Net Zero by 2070 target and NDCs do not mandate the collection of city-level greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions data, limiting the ability to undertake data-driven climate actions. As India transitions towards a more urban future, with 50 per cent of the population estimated to live in cities by 2050, amid rising climate risks, the devolution of powers to ULBs for climate governance becomes crucial. Empowering local governments through the principle of “climate subsidiarity”—which ensures that climate action is undertaken at the most appropriate level by adequately resourced and empowered agencies—can be a key step toward achieving climate resilience and national climate goals. One such long-term measure often suggested by experts involves amending the Constitution to include “climate action” as one of the functions of ULBs.
While constitutional amendments may be a long-term goal, an immediate step could involve making a comprehensive central law on climate mitigation and adaptation with the city as a unit of governance. Also, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) could update NMSH 2.0 with detailed guidelines for city-level Climate Action Plans. Such guidelines would ensure a standardised approach across cities while allowing for localized strategies aligned with national goals. Additionally, providing financial incentives—such as climate finance or additional transfers from the State Finance Commission (SFC) or Central Finance Commission (CFC)—would encourage ULBs to initiate climate risk assessments, implement green mobility projects, and undertake other climate-resilient initiatives.
Institutionalising climate governance at the local level is only the first step. Local governments must also be given clear and measurable targets, necessitating the localisation of NDCs and SDGs. Incorporating cities into future updates of the NAPCC and SAPCC would allow for a more bottom-up approach to planning adaptation and mitigation strategies.
Furthermore, establishing a centralised decision-making body at the city level would facilitate better collaboration among city agencies, ensuring a more coordinated response to climate risks.
As global and national conversations on climate action gain momentum, it is imperative to build a similar focus at the sub-national level to ensure tangible results. The dynamism seen at the national level must be replicated in cities, towns, and districts, which are at the frontline of climate impacts. This will require a realignment of governance structures and a re-evaluation of climate strategies to bring the focus to the smallest units of governance—cities and ULBs.
A blend of long-term strategies and short-term action plans must be developed with sub-national governments to ensure accountability and cohesion in how cities perceive and address climate change. By empowering ULBs with the necessary resources, mandates, and institutional support, India can ensure that its urban centres are not just engines of economic growth but also pillars of climate resilience. This is essential if the country is to meet its ambitious goal of achieving Net Zero emissions by 2070.
(The writer is Research Associate, TERI; views are personal)
