‘Cities of future cannot be hotter versions of today’s cities’: UNDP India head

“The cities of the futurity cannot simply be hotter versions of today’s cities with sir thomas more chilling systems added. They demand to be intentional differently, with greater emphasis on walkability, green and blue spaces, mixed land use, climate-sensitive architecture, and public spaces that reduce heat exposure while improving quality of life,” Angela Lusigi, resident representative, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), India, said.She also stressed that as exposure to extreme heat increases in India, focus should be on practical solutions, with localised delivery of climate finance. UNDP has worked with India to develop its national adaptation plan which incorporates some of these strategies.Excerpts from interview:We are seeing a brutal heat extremes crisis in parts of India. What kind of infrastructure interventions can help address that and protect the most vulnerable populations?India’s heat crisis is no longer just a public health challenge. It is increasingly an infrastructure, development, and equity challenge. As extreme heat becomes more frequent and intense, the priority must be to reduce exposure, protect essential services, and target investments towards the communities most at risk. Particularly those living in informal settlements, densely populated urban areas, schools, health facilities, and workplaces that depend on outdoor labour.Many of the most effective solutions are practical and place-based, including cool roofs, shaded public spaces, reflective surfaces, urban forests, blue-green corridors, drinking water access points, and heat refuge spaces in schools, Anganwadi centres, and health facilities.Extreme heat also presents an opportunity to rethink how India’s cities grow. The cities of the future cannot simply be hotter versions of today’s cities with more cooling systems added. They need to be designed differently, with greater emphasis on walkability, green and blue spaces, mixed land use, climate-sensitive architecture, and public spaces that reduce heat exposure while improving quality of life.Urban innovation should focus not only on managing heat, but also on shaping healthier, more inclusive, and more resilient cities.Heat and air pollution are also closely linked. Rising temperatures can worsen air quality and increase health risks, particularly for children, older persons, and outdoor workers.Urban planning solutions such as expanded tree cover, improved public transport, cleaner energy systems, and nature-based infrastructure can help address both heat and pollution while delivering broader health and environmental benefits.We are already seeing promising examples of how data and planning can strengthen heat resilience. The Model Heat Action Plan for Patna District, developed by UNDP in partnership with the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) Patna and the Bihar State Disaster Management Authority (BSDMA), provides a strong example of how cities can prepare for extreme heat. The plan includes a decision support system that integrates infrastructure data, health facility information, heat analytics, and vulnerable population mapping, enabling local authorities to identify hotspots and respond more effectively.UNDP has worked with India on its national adaptation plan. What do you think should be at the core of adaptation planning in India? Which strategies will be key?At its core, adaptation planning must be about protecting people, livelihoods, and development gains. Climate change is already affecting water resources, agriculture, health, infrastructure, forests, and local economies across India, with vulnerable communities often bearing the greatest burden.First, adaptation cannot be treated as a standalone environmental issue. It must become an integral part of development planning, public investment, and economic decision-making. Climate resilience needs to be embedded across sectors, from agriculture and water management to health, infrastructure, and urban planning.Second, India has an opportunity to move from project-based adaptation towards a more systematic, whole-of-government approach through its forthcoming national adaptation plan. This means ensuring that climate risks are considered across ministries, sectors, and levels of government, while strengthening coordination between national, state, and local institutions.Third, adaptation planning must be grounded in local realities. Adaptation is not only about new technologies or infrastructure. In many parts of India, communities have long relied on locally available materials, traditional water systems, and nature-based practices that helped them live with climatic variability. Restoring ponds, tanks, wetlands, traditional drainage systems, and climate-responsive building practices can complement modern solutions while strengthening resilience in a cost-effective and culturally appropriate manner.How can India finance its adaptation strategy for effective implementation?Financing adaptation at scale requires moving beyond standalone climate projects and embedding resilience into mainstream development finance. Public finance will remain the foundation, but climate resilience needs to be integrated into sectoral budgets, infrastructure investments, and development programmes across agriculture, water, health, and rural development.At the same time, adaptation cannot be financed by governments alone. India will need to mobilise a broader ecosystem of actors, including international climate finance, private sector investment, banks, microfinance institutions, and cooperatives that are often closest to vulnerable communities. Strengthening the ability of these institutions to assess climate risks and finance adaptation solutions will be critical for scaling resilience on the ground.One of the biggest challenges is that many adaptation investments are still not viewed as bankable, despite delivering significant economic and social benefits. Investments in resilient agriculture, water security, ecosystem restoration, and climate resilient infrastructure can reduce future losses and strengthen long term economic resilience, but these benefits are not always reflected in financing decisions.This is an area where UNDP has been working closely with governments and partners.How can climate finance reach or fund schemes that are needed for the poor?Climate finance will only reach the poorest and most vulnerable communities if it is designed for local delivery, simple access, and solutions that address everyday climate risks. At present, too much climate finance remains concentrated in large projects, while informal settlements and low-income households often receive only a small share of available resources.First, climate finance needs to reach people through institutions that are already closest to communities. Municipalities, local governments, self help groups (SHGs), microfinance institutions (MFIs), and community-based organisations often have the strongest understanding of local needs and vulnerabilities.Channelling resources through these institutions can support practical interventions such as cool roofs, drinking water access points, shaded public spaces, drainage improvements, resilient schools and health centres, and preparedness measures for floods and extreme heat.Second, we need to make better use of existing development programmes that already have delivery systems and beneficiary networks in place. Initiatives such as Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (VB-G RAM G), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), Jal Jeevan Mission, and Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) can play an important role in scaling climate resilience.Integrating climate-relevant investments such as watershed development, drought-resilient housing, and crop insurance into these programmes can help unlock both international climate finance and domestic financing opportunities.Third, climate finance must be directed towards the communities facing the greatest risks. Hazard risk and vulnerability assessments can help identify the most climate-exposed wards and settlements so that resources reach those who need them most. This should be supported by dedicated funding windows for informal settlements, simpler grant procedures, and stronger convergence across housing, water, health, and urban development programmes.There is also an important role for catalytic capital from corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, philanthropy, and impact investors. These resources can help de-risk community projects and attract larger flows of public and private finance over time.India is developing rapidly. It will see massive infrastructure development in coming years. How can India balance biodiversity conservation and protection of forests as it develops?As India continues its rapid development journey and invests in new infrastructure, the key will be to integrate climate and biodiversity considerations into planning and investment decisions from the outset, rather than addressing them as an afterthought.This means recognising that nature itself is a form of critical infrastructure that supports communities, livelihoods, and economies.India’s development pathway also offers an opportunity to draw on both innovation and traditional ecological knowledge. Across the country, communities have managed forests, water bodies, grazing lands, and agricultural landscapes for generations using locally adapted practices. Reviving and scaling some of these approaches, while combining them with modern science, can help create development models that are both environmentally sustainable and economically viable.