Sea levels are rising fast. Are India’s biggest cities prepared? – The News Minute

Report on Sea-Level Rise and its Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Global and Regional Context: A Threat to Coastal and Island Nations

Rising sea levels, a direct consequence of climate change, pose a significant threat to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly for low-lying coastal areas and island nations. This challenge directly impacts SDG 13 (Climate Action) and threatens the very existence of communities, undermining SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

• The island nation of Tuvalu exemplifies the crisis, having experienced a 14 cm sea-level rise in the last 30 years, with a further 19 cm projected for the next three decades. This escalating threat of submersion jeopardizes the nation’s sovereignty and its progress on all SDGs.
• A report by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) highlights the vulnerability of the North Indian Ocean. A significant portion of the Indian subcontinent’s coastal zones, which are prone to storm surges, lie within 5-10 meters of the mean sea level.
• Under high-emission scenarios, Indian islands such as Minicoy and Port Blair are projected to experience a notable rise in mean sea level, increasing their vulnerability to extreme sea-level (ESL) hazards and threatening local ecosystems and livelihoods, impacting SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

2.0 Vulnerability of Indian Metropolises: A Challenge to SDG 11

Recent research indicates that major Indian metropolitan areas are at high risk of flooding due to extreme sea levels between 2030 and 2100. This presents a formidable obstacle to achieving SDG 11, which aims to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. The geographical location of these cities exacerbates their vulnerability, demanding urgent adaptation strategies aligned with SDG 13.

3.0 City-Specific Risk Analysis and SDG Implications

The projected impacts on key economic hubs threaten urban infrastructure, economic stability, and human well-being, with significant implications for multiple SDGs.

1. Mumbai: The city faces extensive flooding risks across all emission scenarios.
   • Flooding is projected to be most intense in southern and eastern regions, which house critical state administrative buildings and legislative bodies. This threatens governance and progress towards SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).
   • An expanding flood-prone area now encompasses 13 municipal wards, home to 61% of the city’s population, placing a significant portion of the urban poor at risk and challenging SDG 1 (No Poverty).
2. Kolkata: Situated near the Hooghly River and the Bay of Bengal, Kolkata faces severe flooding risks.
   • Major flooding is predicted along riverbanks and in coastal lowlands, threatening residential areas and critical infrastructure, thereby impeding the goals of SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure).
   • Even under low-emission scenarios, these at-risk regions require immediate attention to ensure urban resilience.
3. Chennai and Visakhapatnam: These coastal cities face significant threats under high-emission scenarios.
   • In Chennai, extensive coastal infrastructure and a large resident population are at risk, particularly along the East Coast Road and the urban waterfront.
   • Visakhapatnam’s coastal areas face extreme risk, with flooding projected to spread across its urban terrain, jeopardizing sustainable urban development as outlined in SDG 11.

4.0 Recommendations for Climate Action and Resilient Infrastructure (SDG 13 & SDG 9)

To mitigate these risks and advance the SDG agenda, urgent and targeted actions are required. The recommendations focus on building resilience and integrating climate adaptation into long-term urban planning.

• Immediate Infrastructure Development (SDG 9 & SDG 11): For high-risk cities like Mumbai and Kolkata, the immediate implementation of hard infrastructure is critical. This includes:
  1. Construction of flood barriers and seawalls.
  2. Development of advanced storm surge protection systems.
  3. Upgrades to urban drainage systems.
• Sustainable Urban Planning (SDG 11 & SDG 13): Long-term strategies must be embedded into urban policy.
  • Cities must adopt and enforce sustainable urbanization policies that restrict rapid construction in high-risk coastal zones.
  • Integrating climate-resilient infrastructure into all future urban planning is crucial for long-term defence against sea-level rise.
• Adaptive Measures for Medium-Risk Cities (SDG 13.1): For cities like Kochi and Mangaluru, the focus should be on proactive and nature-based solutions.
  • Strengthening natural flood barriers such as mangroves, which supports SDG 14 (Life Below Water).
  • Implementing robust early warning systems to enhance adaptive capacity and minimize disaster impact.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The article extensively discusses the vulnerability of major coastal cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai to flooding from sea-level rise. It highlights risks to urban facilities, infrastructure, and large resident populations, directly connecting to the goal of making cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  The core issue of the article is the impact of climate change, specifically global warming causing sea-level rise. It discusses different emission scenarios and their consequences, such as extreme sea levels and tropical cyclones, urging for urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

  The article calls for the development of resilient infrastructure as a key adaptation strategy. It specifically mentions the need for “harbour defences,” “better drainage systems,” “flood barriers,” “seawalls,” and “storm surge protection systems,” which falls under the goal of building resilient infrastructure.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  • Target 11.5: “By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations.” The article directly relates to this by identifying the high flood risk to densely populated urban areas, such as the 13 wards in Mumbai housing 61% of the city’s population.
  • Target 11.b: “By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, disaster risk reduction…” The article’s recommendations for “complete city adaptation strategies,” “sustainable urbanisation policies,” and embedding “climate-resilient infrastructure into their long-term urban planning systems” align perfectly with this target.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  • Target 13.1: “Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.” The entire article is a call to action for this target, detailing the climate-related hazards (sea-level rise, flooding, storm surges) and proposing adaptive measures like early warning systems and protective infrastructure for vulnerable coastal and island nations like India and Tuvalu.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

  • Target 9.1: “Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure…to support economic development and human well-being…” The article’s call for “flood barriers,” “seawalls,” “storm surge protection systems,” and “better drainage systems” is a direct reference to the need for building resilient infrastructure to protect cities and their populations from climate-related disasters.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• For Target 11.5 & 13.1 (Measuring Disaster Impact and Resilience)

  • Rate of sea-level rise: The article provides specific data, such as “sea levels rising by 14 cm in the last 30 years” in Tuvalu, which can be used as a direct indicator of the increasing climate hazard.
  • Area and population at risk: The mention of “13 wards instead of 11” in Mumbai being prone to floods, which “house 61% of the city’s population,” serves as an indicator of the number of people affected or potentially affected by water-related disasters.
  • Extent of flooding: The description of flooding reaching “peak intensity across the coastal section and riverfront zones” and spreading “across its urban terrain” in various cities implies that the geographical area affected by flooding is a key metric.

• For Target 11.b & 9.1 (Measuring Adaptation and Infrastructure)

  • Implementation of adaptation strategies: The article’s recommendation for “complete city adaptation strategies” and “sustainable urbanisation policies” implies that the number of cities that have adopted and are implementing such plans is a measurable indicator.
  • Development of resilient infrastructure: The call for specific structures like “flood barriers,” “seawalls,” and “early warning systems” means that the construction and operational status of such infrastructure can be used as an indicator of progress in building resilience.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: thenewsminute.com