BENGALURU: The Greater Bengaluru Authority’s (GBA) micro-level climate planning initiative, aimed at tackling climate change at the neighbourhood level and touted as a first-of-its-kind in the country, has reached a crucial stage with ward-level climate action plans ready for pilot in five wards and is awaiting budgetary approval for implementation.
The plans, developed under the GBA’s Climate Action Cell, seek to move climate planning beyond broad city-level strategies by identifying environmental challenges specific to individual wards and proposing localised interventions. Their implementation will, however, depend on the approval of the necessary budget allocations by the respective city corporations.
The initiative is intended to serve as a model for extending climate action planning to other wards under the GBA, said Jeevitha Shanmuganand, urban planner, Data Innovation Climate Action Fellow at the GBA. The five wards selected for the pilot are Shantinagar in Central City, Jakkur in North City, Begur in South City, Vijinapura in East City and Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar ward in West City.
The plans were drawn up following sector-wise assessments and consultations with residents, experts and other stakeholders. The exercise covered energy and buildings, transportation, solid waste management, urban planning, greenery and biodiversity, water management, wastewater and stormwater management, and disaster preparedness.
“Unlike a common climate strategy for the entire city, the ward-level approach seeks to address problems based on local geographical and environmental conditions. While certain neighbourhoods face recurring flooding, others may be grappling with water scarcity, declining green cover, rising temperatures or inadequate waste management. The problems faced by one ward may be different from those of another. Accordingly, the solutions proposed are tailor-made to address the specific challenges,” she said.
The proposed interventions will include targeted measures based on climate vulnerabilities identified in each ward. For instance, in areas experiencing rising temperaturesmeasures such as increasing green cover, applying heat-reflective cool paints and setting up cool shelters are being considered, she said.
With the plans now awaiting budgetary approval, the focus is shifting from identifying problems and preparing interventions to ensuring that the proposals translate into funded civic projects. The allocation of funds will determine which interventions can be taken up, their implementation timelines and the departments responsible for executing them.
