New project strengthens climate resilience of industrial areas in India

Cyclones, droughts, torrential rain, heat waves – these are just some of the consequences of climate change that expose Indian industrial areas to major challenges. A new adelphi project has been launched to help planners and operators to identify climate risks and take appropriate measures.

Despite the wide-ranging effects of climate change on industrial development in India, climate risks have previously not been taken into consideration in local industrial planning. In addition, even forward-thinking decision-makers, planning authorities and industrial area operators often lack the necessary technical capacities, procedures and planning instruments to effectively protect existing and planned industrial areas against climate risks. As a result, Indian industry can anticipate further damage and losses in the future due to the consequences of climate change.

Consortium prepares decision-makers for adaptation to climate change

Against this background, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ; German Association for International Cooperation) launched a new project together with the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry for the adaptation of industrial areas in India to climate change. A consortium comprising adelphi, INTEGRATION and Ifanos was commissioned to implement the project in collaboration with local experts.

The four-year project is intended to put decision-makers and planning authorities in a position to increase the resilience of existing and new industrial areas to climate change in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Gujarat. For this purpose, risks are analysed, methods developed and personnel and technical capacities expanded. Furthermore, the project aims to increase the awareness among the relevant parties involved of the consequences and risks posed by climate change and to establish adaptation to climate change as a central component in all decision-making and planning processes for industrial plants and areas.