Page 5 - Towards a Policy for Climate Resilient Infrastructure and Services in Coastal Cities
P. 5
Policy Brief
also help in prioritization for investment planning for infrastructure local champions can either be individuals or designated heads of
adaptation and augmentation. This exercise would also help in the city’s ULB like Mayor and Municipal Commissioner who have
analysing how stresses or damage to one infrastructure sector can the power to convene city level inter-departmental coordination
have an impact on others; and also their cumulative impact on the meetings. In both the cities, the municipal corporation played a
city functions and population. key role in driving the study by ensuring the involvement and buy-
in of as many departments as possible. Thus, the role of local city
Regulations and institutions champions in taking up the overall ownership of the process is
important from the perspective of long-term internalization of
A lot of measures are not implemented because of lack of enabling the results and recommendations emerging from these studies.
legislations or because of absence of institutional frameworks
present to support action at the level of the city. A state level Capacity building and awareness generation
mandate/regulation would go a long way in supporting actions for
the conservation of coastal ecosystems as well as implementing Capacity building at all levels has to be taken up in terms of state
resilience and adaptation measures in the city. Appropriate zoning and city level decision makers, community, and key stakeholders
regulations, building bye-laws, land use restrictions, are some of in the city. Sensitization and awareness generation of the citizens
the examples of the regulatory mechanisms that could prove at large is also an integral step for city level resilience planning
relevant. For instance, since waste transportation and collection (Box 4). Strong community support and community demand can
activities (especially frequency) might get impacted due to SLR, often lead to building consensus at the level of the decision makers
it is essential that as far as possible regulations and bye-laws and planners. For instance, The Goa Solid Waste Management
encourage decentralized treatment options at the zone/ward Corporation Bill, 2009 was introduced in the legislative assembly of
level. An appropriate Standard Operational Procedure (SOP) the state of Goa. The objective of this bill was to establish the Goa
must be chalked out in the event of an extreme climate event, SWM Corporation that would assist the scientific management of
which should identify the role and plan of action by the concerned solid waste in the state of Goa (especially coastal belts and rural
waste authorities. An appropriate institutional mechanism for areas). The bill outlines information dissemination and awareness
implementing the same must be suggested in the relevant policy. activities as one of the key functions of the Corporation and
also encourages setting up of a research facility that would aid
Since infrastructure planning comes under various sector- institutions to implement waste management schemes. Thus, this
wise departments and is generally out of the purview of ULBs, institution can play an important role in adaptation planning by
infrastructure resilience calls for multi-stakeholder partnerships implementing the recommendations regarding capacity building.
and interventions and enabling regulations to support resilience
measures (Box 3). For instance, in the case of urban water supply Role of incremental policies
and sewerage, responsibilities such as periodic quality monitoring
and maintenance; adopting suitable siting plans with careful While structural measures can be adopted as per their economic
considerations for the vulnerable areas when planning for new feasibility, it becomes essential to adopt incremental policy
networks must be included under the purview of the institutions measures or soft measures that have the potential of delivering
responsible for its management. long-term positive impacts. For instance, for the electricity sector,
policies should focus on timely expansion of renewables and
Political buy-in and local city champions energy efficiency. This can be introduced by adopting mechanisms
such as energy efficiency standards, tax incentives, financing
Vulnerability assessments at a city level are a multi-departmental mechanisms, and funding for research and development (Davis
exercise involving multi-stakeholder engagements. The successful and Clemmer 2014).6 Policies must also encourage scaling up of
implementation of these studies requires the support of local city renewable energy technologies such as rooftop solar panels and
stakeholders who have the power to coordinate with various wind turbines as these rely on smaller and more distributed units,
departments which ensures their cooperation at all levels. These thereby greatly reducing the impact on the grid ((Box 5).
Box 3 Box 4
Surat was one of the first three cities in India to have developed a climate resilience The Clarence Valley Council in New South Wales, Australia undertook community
strategy under the Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network (ACCCRN). The consultation to develop its Strategic Plan Vision 2020 and allocated $20,000 in the
impact of the ACCCRN process in Surat was that the city stakeholders themselves financial year 2009–10 for developing a local climate change action plan. In 2009,
took the ownership of the CRS and later on spearheaded several pilot projects in the council followed this up by capacity building efforts like conducting workshops
their city. One of the key achievements of the project in Surat was the formation of for staff and councillors on introduction to climate change and risk assessment.
the Urban Health and Climate Resilience Centre (UHCRC). UHCRC was established
in order to provide support to the state and central-level urban health support Source: http://www.nccarf.edu.au/settlements-infrastructure/sites/www.nccarf.
systems to incorporate climate change resilience issues. Established within Surat edu.au.settlements-infrastructure/files/ACCARNSI_CASE_STUDIES_PORTFOLIO_
Municipal Corporation’s (SMC) Health Department, this first-of-its-kind institution May2012_Final_0.pdf
in the country aims to address public health and climate change adaptation issues.
In February 2013, the SMC announced that it would allocate INR 10 million to UHCRC
for its functioning.
JUNE 2015 5
also help in prioritization for investment planning for infrastructure local champions can either be individuals or designated heads of
adaptation and augmentation. This exercise would also help in the city’s ULB like Mayor and Municipal Commissioner who have
analysing how stresses or damage to one infrastructure sector can the power to convene city level inter-departmental coordination
have an impact on others; and also their cumulative impact on the meetings. In both the cities, the municipal corporation played a
city functions and population. key role in driving the study by ensuring the involvement and buy-
in of as many departments as possible. Thus, the role of local city
Regulations and institutions champions in taking up the overall ownership of the process is
important from the perspective of long-term internalization of
A lot of measures are not implemented because of lack of enabling the results and recommendations emerging from these studies.
legislations or because of absence of institutional frameworks
present to support action at the level of the city. A state level Capacity building and awareness generation
mandate/regulation would go a long way in supporting actions for
the conservation of coastal ecosystems as well as implementing Capacity building at all levels has to be taken up in terms of state
resilience and adaptation measures in the city. Appropriate zoning and city level decision makers, community, and key stakeholders
regulations, building bye-laws, land use restrictions, are some of in the city. Sensitization and awareness generation of the citizens
the examples of the regulatory mechanisms that could prove at large is also an integral step for city level resilience planning
relevant. For instance, since waste transportation and collection (Box 4). Strong community support and community demand can
activities (especially frequency) might get impacted due to SLR, often lead to building consensus at the level of the decision makers
it is essential that as far as possible regulations and bye-laws and planners. For instance, The Goa Solid Waste Management
encourage decentralized treatment options at the zone/ward Corporation Bill, 2009 was introduced in the legislative assembly of
level. An appropriate Standard Operational Procedure (SOP) the state of Goa. The objective of this bill was to establish the Goa
must be chalked out in the event of an extreme climate event, SWM Corporation that would assist the scientific management of
which should identify the role and plan of action by the concerned solid waste in the state of Goa (especially coastal belts and rural
waste authorities. An appropriate institutional mechanism for areas). The bill outlines information dissemination and awareness
implementing the same must be suggested in the relevant policy. activities as one of the key functions of the Corporation and
also encourages setting up of a research facility that would aid
Since infrastructure planning comes under various sector- institutions to implement waste management schemes. Thus, this
wise departments and is generally out of the purview of ULBs, institution can play an important role in adaptation planning by
infrastructure resilience calls for multi-stakeholder partnerships implementing the recommendations regarding capacity building.
and interventions and enabling regulations to support resilience
measures (Box 3). For instance, in the case of urban water supply Role of incremental policies
and sewerage, responsibilities such as periodic quality monitoring
and maintenance; adopting suitable siting plans with careful While structural measures can be adopted as per their economic
considerations for the vulnerable areas when planning for new feasibility, it becomes essential to adopt incremental policy
networks must be included under the purview of the institutions measures or soft measures that have the potential of delivering
responsible for its management. long-term positive impacts. For instance, for the electricity sector,
policies should focus on timely expansion of renewables and
Political buy-in and local city champions energy efficiency. This can be introduced by adopting mechanisms
such as energy efficiency standards, tax incentives, financing
Vulnerability assessments at a city level are a multi-departmental mechanisms, and funding for research and development (Davis
exercise involving multi-stakeholder engagements. The successful and Clemmer 2014).6 Policies must also encourage scaling up of
implementation of these studies requires the support of local city renewable energy technologies such as rooftop solar panels and
stakeholders who have the power to coordinate with various wind turbines as these rely on smaller and more distributed units,
departments which ensures their cooperation at all levels. These thereby greatly reducing the impact on the grid ((Box 5).
Box 3 Box 4
Surat was one of the first three cities in India to have developed a climate resilience The Clarence Valley Council in New South Wales, Australia undertook community
strategy under the Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network (ACCCRN). The consultation to develop its Strategic Plan Vision 2020 and allocated $20,000 in the
impact of the ACCCRN process in Surat was that the city stakeholders themselves financial year 2009–10 for developing a local climate change action plan. In 2009,
took the ownership of the CRS and later on spearheaded several pilot projects in the council followed this up by capacity building efforts like conducting workshops
their city. One of the key achievements of the project in Surat was the formation of for staff and councillors on introduction to climate change and risk assessment.
the Urban Health and Climate Resilience Centre (UHCRC). UHCRC was established
in order to provide support to the state and central-level urban health support Source: http://www.nccarf.edu.au/settlements-infrastructure/sites/www.nccarf.
systems to incorporate climate change resilience issues. Established within Surat edu.au.settlements-infrastructure/files/ACCARNSI_CASE_STUDIES_PORTFOLIO_
Municipal Corporation’s (SMC) Health Department, this first-of-its-kind institution May2012_Final_0.pdf
in the country aims to address public health and climate change adaptation issues.
In February 2013, the SMC announced that it would allocate INR 10 million to UHCRC
for its functioning.
JUNE 2015 5
