Scaling-up Nature-Based Solutions for Mainstreaming Resilience in Indian Cities

Abstract

Rapid growth of urban areas has attracted foremost global attention in the last few decades. By 2050, India is expected to be the center of urbanization with 68 Indian cities having population of around a million. Rapid urbanization has resulted in huge loss of urban blue-green infrastructure (BGI) resulting in loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. There is growing need of disaster proofing fast expanding Indian cities. It is fundamental to explore, customize and integrate Nature-based Solutions (NbS) based resilience planning by restoring existing BGI in Tier I Indian megacities to curb the growing risks within acceptable limits. There is huge scope for exploration and mainstreaming of NbS in Tier II and Tier III cities that have space to plan BGI as per the growing population requirements and anticipated future risks. Scientifically planned NbS can help towards building resilience by maintaining the socio-cultural, economic, and ecosystem sustainability. The present chapter provides an overview of BGI as an efficient NbS and mainstreaming of nature-based interventions to ensure sustainable habitat in Indian megacities and growing small cities. The chapter highlights the factors that determine the use of urban NbS and underlines the problems associated with the implementation of NbS.