URGENT International Lecture Series
Introduction: Sustainable and inclusive urban growth are essential in revealing the true benefits of urbanization. As hubs of population, infrastructure and economic activities, cities have been at the forefront in facing the brunt of the extreme events. Climate change is increasingly becoming a global crisis affecting habitats and ecosystems. In addition to addressing the urbanization challenges, cities are increasingly tackling extreme events like flooding, heat waves and cyclones. While cities play a key role in contributing to climate change, cities are also adversely impacted by the changing climate. According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), 77 Indian cities in the coastal regions of the country including some of the largest and densest urban agglomerations are prone to frequent cyclones. The frequency of urban floods has already increased drastically in the last decade. According to the IPCC 1.5°C Special Report, India is projected to experience more cyclones with high-intensity storms and has a higher risk due to extreme rainfall and annually occurring heat waves.
Under URGENT project, a monthly lecture series was organized (normally on the last Saturday of the month) during the academic year 2021/22 to strengthen the capacities of stakeholders to provide a holistic view of climate change and related crises in India. The theme of the lectures is designed to address the impact of climate change on cities and developing new approaches to reduce impacts in the future. The series will also discuss the opportunities and best practices for meaningful frameworks to support resilient and livable cities. After the first year the Indian series have been discontinued and Indian contents have been offer through the International webinar series jointly with Mongolian collagues.
Target Audience: The audience consists of professionals from partner institutions, other people interested in the topic, researchers and students.
Objectives: The lecture series is designed to stimulate a dialogue on the relevance of urban resilience and local actions with varied relevant participants to address the shocks and stress of climate change on Urban India. The topics have been handpicked to foster discussions on various emerging Nature Based Solutions as well as technology platforms to analyze the progress of climate actions and potential areas for action in accordance with NDCs, SDGs, and COP targets.
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