Kerala Urged to Embrace Climate-Resilient Planning

Fast Summary:

• David Simon, Professor at Royal Holloway, London adn lead author of IPCC AR7 Special Report on Climate Change and Cities, emphasized the need for climate-resilient urbanisation during a session at the Kerala Urban conclave held in Kochi on September 12, 2025.
• He warned of rising global sea levels between 0.5 to 1.1 metres by the end of the century and highlighted that resilience planning must happen across multiple scales through collaborative coalitions.
• M.G. Rajamanickam, Secretary for Revenue and Disaster Management, stated Kerala requires integrated planning bolstered by nature-based solutions due to its limited developable land.
• Y.V.N. Krishnamurthy from Kerala Urban Policy Commission chaired the event alongside experts like David White (Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure), Joy Elamon (Kerala State Disaster Management Authority), Abhilash S. (cochin University), and Suraj Shaji (urban Local Self Government Department).
• The convergence noted that rapid urbanisation will see nearly 80% of Kerala’s population urbanised by 2050, aligning with global trends predicting around 70% of people living in cities worldwide.

Indian Opinion Analysis:

The discussions at the Kerala Urban Conclave underscore India’s pressing need for adaptive strategies to counteract climate risks amid growing urbanisation challenges. Limited land resources coupled with departmental silos make cohesive planning critical for states like Kerala-a densely populated region already vulnerable to climatic shifts such as rising sea levels.

Global predictions point toward a rapidly urbanising planet where interconnected networks between governments, institutions, and communities will play a pivotal role in sustainable resilience-building efforts.for India specifically-and particularly coastal states-implementing integrated approaches like nature-based solutions could significantly mitigate long-term risks tied to monsoons or hurricanes without exhausting scarce resources.

Given India’s intense pace of growth projected through mid-century,expert-led frameworks supporting disaster-resilient infrastructure might influence policymaking both nationally and regionally while ensuring scalability across diverse landscapes.

Read more here: [Link Not Provided; Original Article Source via The Hindu]