November 21, 2025: Mumbai remains one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable cities, facing recurrent flooding, extreme rainfall, and the long-term threat of rising sea levels. To confront these risks, the city has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2050—two decades ahead of India’s national target—with interim goals of reducing emissions by 30% by 2030 and 44% by 2040 from a 2019 baseline. Central to this ambition is the Mumbai Climate Action Plan launched in 2022. For FY25, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has allocated ₹31,775 crore in capital expenditure, dedicating nearly one-third to climate-related initiatives. Of this, about 95% is earmarked for critical interventions in flood mitigation and water resource management.
The remaining share supports climate-friendly measures such as LED streetlighting, tree planting to expand green cover, rooftop solar installations on municipal buildings, and new sewage treatment facilities. Mumbai has already advanced protections for mangrove ecosystems, strengthened public transport electrification, and expanded urban greening.
Cape Town, too, faces escalating risks from extreme weather, compounded by water scarcity, infrastructure limitations, and social inequality. The South African city has adopted a dual strategy: achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 while executing large-scale adaptation efforts. Its comprehensive water strategy focuses on diversifying supply through desalination, groundwater extraction, and recycling. Funding comes from multiple public and private sources, including a pioneering 2017 green bond and support from the C40 Cities Finance Facility. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is providing an 18-year, USD 150-million loan for upgrades to energy, transport, water, sanitation, and wastewater systems.
The experiences of Mumbai and Cape Town illustrate that developing cities can pursue meaningful climate resilience—but replication requires clear steps. Cities must increase awareness by integrating climate considerations into planning and communicating risks to citizens. They need robust action plans aligned with development goals, active participation from communities, and assessments of vulnerabilities. National governments must include cities in climate strategy design and provide incentives and funding.
Building institutional capacity through dedicated climate departments is essential, as is securing diverse financing—from domestic banks and bonds to multilateral funds. Finally, long-term consistency in policy and implementation is crucial. With technical expertise and financial resources often constrained, cities must begin advancing climate resilience now to ensure a secure future for their populations.
Source: The Economic Times
