Kochi: Even as Kochi is highly vulnerable to the vagaries of extreme weather conditions and climate change impacts compared to other cities in the country, the city corporation is yet to implement the draft proposals submitted by the international expert agency, International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI). The civic administration which needs to chalk out comprehensive action plan to surmount the impact of climate change has been sitting on the proposals. For a city with a fragile urban eco system, it is high time to implement climate change adaptation strategies, say experts.
“The city is already bearing the brunt of change in monsoon pattern, irregular and extended rainfall. Due to this, maintenance work has been delayed which is the major reason for the pathetic plight of city roads,” said K.J. Sohan, chairman, town planning committee.
Meanwhile, sources at the corporation said the expert agency has only provided a draft proposal and the civic body is waiting for the comprehensive action-plan based on a two-year study. “Though Kochi has been selected under ‘Asian Cities Adapt – Impact of Climate Change in Target Cities in India and Philippines and Local Adaptation Strategies’ programme of the ICLEI, the corporation is yet to get the recommendations on how to adapt with the changes.
We’ve sent a request this week to ICLEI to submit the proposals. Once, the report is submitted, we can transform it into a project framework,” added K.J. Sohan.
According to the ICLEL assessment, Kochi is in the frontline of the country’s seaside cities that can potentially be affected by climate change, mostly in the form of inundation due to rise in sea level. As per studies, there are strong signals to indicate that night temperature in the city is on the rise along with mean annual temperature. Such changes will adversely impact the city and pose additional pressure on some already fragile urban systems, point out experts.
