35% vulnerable to heat stress, 25% to flooding in Kochi: WRI report

Kochi, one of the fastest-growing cities in India, faces multiple climate hazards that threaten its people, infrastructure, and environment. A new report by the World Resources Institute (WRI), India, reveals that nearly 35% of the city’s population is vulnerable to heat stress and 25% to flooding, and calls for incorporating climate hazard vulnerability assessment (CHVA) into its development plans.

Kochi Faces Climate Risks

The report, titled “Assessing differential vulnerability to climate hazards in urban India”, is based on a CHVA framework developed by WRI, which combines spatial and socio-economic data to identify the most vulnerable communities and areas in a city. The framework also helps track vulnerability over time, monitor the progress of interventions, and compare vulnerability with other cities.

The report covers six Indian cities, namely Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kochi, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nashik, and Solapur, and focuses on four major climate hazards: sea level rise, heavy rainfall, water scarcity, and temperature rise. The report finds that Kochi is among the most vulnerable cities to these hazards, due to its coastal location, high population density, low adaptive capacity, and unplanned urbanization.

According to the report, Kochi has a high exposure to sea level rise and coastal erosion, which can affect its critical infrastructure, such as the port, the airport, the railway, and the metro, as well as its natural assets, such as the mangroves, the wetlands, and the backwaters.

The report estimates that 47% of the city’s area is within the floodplains, and 26% of the city’s population lives within these floodplains. The report also warns that Kochi is prone to heavy rainfall and stormwater events, which can cause urban flooding, waterlogging, landslides, and water contamination.

Kochi's Water scarcity: mismanagement, pollution, Solutions

The study also highlights the issue of water scarcity in Kochi, which is paradoxical given its abundant water resources. The report attributes this to the poor management and distribution of water, the overexploitation and pollution of groundwater, the loss of natural recharge areas, and the lack of rainwater harvesting systems. The report suggests that Kochi needs to improve its water governance and infrastructure and promote water conservation and efficiency measures.

Another major climate hazard that Kochi faces is temperature rise and urban heat islands, which can have adverse impacts on human health, productivity, and comfort.

The report shows that Kochi has experienced a significant increase in its annual mean temperature, from 26.8°C in 1951-1980 to 27.7°C in 1981-2010. The report also reveals that Kochi has a high variation in its surface temperature, depending on the land use and land cover.

For instance, the report finds that industrial areas, such as the shipyard, have the highest surface temperature, at 35.1°C, while natural areas, such as the mangroves, have the lowest surface temperature, at 28.7°C. The report recommends that Kochi should increase its green cover and open spaces, and adopt passive cooling and energy-efficient technologies, to reduce its heat stress.

Kochi's most vulnerable wards revealed

The report identifies Kochi Corporation wards 2, 3, 5, 36, 44, and 61 as the most vulnerable communities in the city to climate risks, based on their exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. The report also points out that Kochi has low access to fire and rescue services, public green spaces, and playgrounds, which can exacerbate its vulnerability.

The study urges the city authorities to improve the data quality and accessibility, and conduct baseline assessments of the vulnerability, to inform their planning and decision-making processes.

The report concludes that Kochi has a high potential to become a climate-resilient city, given its rich natural and cultural heritage, its strategic location, and its dynamic and diverse population. However, the report also emphasizes that Kochi needs to adopt a holistic and integrated approach to address its climate challenges, and to involve all the stakeholders, including the government, the private sector, the civil society, and the citizens, in the process.

The report also suggests that Kochi can learn from and collaborate with other cities, both in India and abroad, that are facing similar climate risks and pursuing similar resilience goals.

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