India city climate readiness tracking at 34%
India's government measured climate readiness in 226 cities but halted the program after 2023, leaving no current data on urban climate action progress.
India's national assessment of city climate readiness has stalled, leaving no current data on urban climate action. According to a commentary published on Mongabay-India, the Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework (CSCAF) was launched in 2019 but has not been conducted since its third phase in 2022.
Cities are central to India's climate goals, facing severe risks like groundwater depletion, flooding, and cyclones. They are also focal points for emission reduction. The National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), with support from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, established the Climate Centre for Cities (C-Cube) in June 2020 to mainstream climate action.
Measuring readiness and finding gaps
The CSCAF was developed with 26 organisations to measure climate action across 28 indicators in five areas: urban planning and biodiversity; energy and buildings; mobility and air quality; water management; and waste management. The framework assessed cities in three phases.
| Phase | Year | Cities Assessed | National Average Readiness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2019 | 96 | Baseline established |
| 2 | 2021 | 126 | 30% |
| 3 | 2023 | 226 | 34% |
The 2023 assessment categorized cities by star ratings based on their readiness percentage. Only Surat achieved a five-star rating (80-100% readiness) in the overall assessment. Four other cities moved to the five-star category in specific thematic areas like urban planning. The reports concluded that climate readiness across Indian cities was low, stuck between 30% and 34%.
Urban climate risks and potential
Indian cities face diverse climate impacts. A report for the Fifteenth Finance Commission by the Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS) highlighted flooding as the most widespread hazard. The commentary notes that 21 major cities, including Delhi and Bengaluru, are heading towards complete groundwater depletion, affecting 100 million people. About 40% of India's population lives within 100 km of the coast, with 5,700 km of coastline exposed to cyclones and flooding.
Poor urban planning could cost cities between $2.6 billion and $13 billion annually. Conversely, a 2021 report by the Coalition for Urban Transitions projected substantial emission-reduction potential. It estimated proven low-carbon measures could cut urban emissions from buildings, transport, waste, and materials by 89% by 2050 compared to a baseline, saving 1,784 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
A stalled process
The commentary argues that measurement is crucial for managing climate action, creating accountability and enabling course correction. The CSCAF process was transparent and publicly disclosed, incentivizing cities through ranking. However, the next assessment round has not been carried out.
This halt means there is no current information on whether city climate readiness has improved, what actions have been undertaken, or their outcomes. There is also no consolidated public information on how many cities are preparing or implementing City Climate Action Plans, or have adopted climate budgeting. The C-Cube website, despite having 75 partners working with MoHUA and NIUA, reportedly does not provide this consolidated data.
The author's view is that a crucial structured process for measuring city climate readiness has been lost midway.
