This session will feature presentations on the climate budgeting processes undertaken in New York and Mumbai, led by Peter Mattingly and @Mallory R. @(New York City Mayor's Office of Management and Budget), and @Avni Agarwal (Cities Program, WRI India) respectively. The session will unpack how municipal funds can be leveraged to mainstream and deliver NbS...
This Masterclass brings to you a five-point framework developed by Purpose Climate Lab (PCL), a creative storytelling lab, to accelerate adoption of and build the ambition for climate solutions. Application of this framework will be illustrated through case studies from the Lab’s work in urban centres across three regions of India: the North (Delhi and...
The year 2024 was the hottest on record, even as severe flooding gripped regions across the world. Amid this reality of climate change, cities — with their dense populations and vulnerable infrastructure — are especially at risk. But they also have a wide range of solutions they can implement to strengthen their resilience. Co-organized by...
This masterclass will explore the critical lessons and strategies underpinning the successful transformation of Tebet Eco Park in Jakarta, Indonesia. Participants will gain insights into practical aspects of project execution, including: Designing with Nature-based Solutions and the impact to city and environment Navigating challenges during post-construction and maintenance phases. Exploring funding mechanisms and financial sustainability....
With rising global temperatures and increasing frequency of extreme heat events, India faces significant risks to human and ecosystem health, labor productivity, and livelihoods. Heat stress exacerbates vulnerabilities, especially among the marginalized communities and population groups such as outdoor workers, women, children and the elderly. Prolonged exposure to heat is also reducing workforce efficiency and effecting yields thereby disrupting key economic...
Ecosystem services are the essential benefits humans derive from nature, including air and water purification, climate regulation, carbon sequestration and biodiversity support. As urban areas face increasing environmental degradation, it is crucial to recognize and quantify the economic and social benefits of natural spaces. Valuing these services also helps to understand the cost of actions...
As Indian cities continue to grow, the demand for green, healthy and climate-resilient urban environments is becoming increasingly urgent. Urban green spaces—such as parks, tree-lined streets, urban forests and green roofs—help reduce heat, improve air quality, support biodiversity and contribute to public health. However, the distribution and accessibility of these spaces often remain uneven, raising...
Urban lakes have long served as vital infrastructure for water management, ecology and community life. In the face of intensifying climate risks, rapid urbanization and increasing water insecurity, protecting and rejuvenating these ecosystems is now more urgent than ever. Across India, urban lakes are being reimagined not merely as scenic or recreational features, but as...
Urban flooding is becoming one of the most pressing climate risks facing Indian cities driven by extreme rainfall, shrinking natural drainage systems and unplanned development. Traditional grey infrastructure alone is proving insufficient to manage the scale and complexity of this challenge. There is a growing need to embed Nature-based Solutions (NbS) into city planning to...
Urban areas in South Asia face escalating water stress, ecological degradation, and climate risks due to rapid land-use change, deforestation, wetland loss, and pollution, all of which disrupt water cycles and are worsened by climate change. Forest ecosystems, whether in upstream catchments, along coasts, or within cities, play a vital role in regulating flows, recharging...
India is at a critical juncture where water scarcity and climate change are not just environmental issues but also economic and social challenges. According to NITI Aayog’s Composite Water Management Index (2018), 600 million Indians already face high to extreme water stress, and by 2030, demand will outstrip supply twofold. At the same time, the...
Nature-based Solutions (NbS) offer cities a pathway to address climate challenges such as urban heat, flooding, and water scarcity while delivering wider environmental and social benefits. However, identifying and accessing suitable funding pathways remains one of the key barriers to implement at scale and support long-term sustenance. Addressing this barrier requires bridging relevant information gap...
