Study on climate change to focus on Kochi

The second phase of the project to assess the impact of climate changes in target cities in India, including Kochi will be launched soon.

A stakeholder meeting will be convened in Kochi on Tuesday to discuss the timelines,  status and next steps for the project. The major objectives of the meeting also include  detailed discussions on the climate projections for Kochi and the impact of changing climate on the urban systems here.

The project ‘Asian Cities Adapt: Impacts of Climate Change in Target Cities in India and the Philippines and Local Adaptation Strategies,’ is implemented jointly by International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) European Secretariat, CLEI South Asia and ICLEI South East Asia.

The participating Indian cities include Kochi,  Howrah, Madurai, Visakhapatnam, while cities like Baguio, Dagupan, San Fernando and Tuguegarao were selected from the Philippines.

“Impacts of Climate Change in Target Cities in India and the Philippines and Local Adaptation Strategies is an innovative project to address the consequences of climate change at the local level by enhancing awareness, knowledge and capacity of participating cities through an integrated and cyclical management tool,” said project officer Nagendran Nagarajan.

The project was initiated in October 2010. The first stakeholder meetings were conducted in the four project cities in India from July to September 2011.

“The cities have been undergoing the data collection phase. Additionally, a citizen perception survey and stakeholder perception survey has been conducted, he said.

He said the meeting on August 14 will highlight the progress and results so far under the project for Kochi. In addition to this, the meeting will also focus on the process of framing a proper plan.  “The report will also focus on the fragility of basic urban systems including water, power transport and communication. Regional and city specific climatic assessments have been carried out for Kerala region and Kochi city. The results from these assessments will be discussed at the meeting and the impact of these changes on the fragile urban systems will be identified,” Nagarajan said.