Increased protection against flooding

The project “Enhancing climate resilience of Gorakhpur by buffering floods through climate-resilient peri-urban agriculture” is part of the Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network (ACCCRN) and financed by The Rockefeller Foundation. It was implemented by the Gorakhpur Environmental Action Group (GEAG) from June 2012 to May 2016 to demonstrate how ecosystem services generated by peri-urban agriculture can positively address the impacts of climate change in Gorakhpur, a city located in eastern Uttar Pradesh, India (Ref 1, 2). To be more specific, it was set out to “demonstrate flood risk mitigation through the preservation and improved management of open spaces by strengthening agriculture-based livelihoods in peri-urban areas” (Ref 1, 2). The main project outcomes were focused on conserving peri-urban agricultural land areas as they serve to climate-proof cities and build resilience, enhance the livelihood and food security of vulnerable groups in peri-urban areas, as well as establish sustainable and climate-resilient models (Ref 1). Activities like baseline surveys, field interventions, climate resilient extension systems, the adaptation of practices and research and advocacy were carried out to achieve the project outcomes (Ref 1). Additionally, the project has successfully improved the soil and water quality and developed special measures for waste management (Ref 1, 2, 3).

In Senegal, urban flooding in the rainy season causes major damage to public and private infrastructure, and poses considerable social, economic and health-related risks to the human population, in particular the poorest. Poor drainage systems mean that rainwater floods the whole neighbourhood, paralysing transport, and economic activities and posing health and safety risks due to stagnation and contamination (e.g. increase in water-borne diseases). To respond to such emergencies, in 2015 several stakeholders (Senegalese government, local authorities in Dakar and the local community) initiated a project that aimed to build resilience to flooding in informal settlements of Dakar. The project consisted of building resilience to floods by focusing on 3 fields: 1) infrastructure (floodwater evacuation, solid waste management, urban gardening and greening); 2) policy (district flood contingency plans and national policy advice); and 3) capacity building (training and awareness building for beneficiaries and key stakeholders, with a special focus on empowering women). The project was concluded in 2017 however its benefits are still felt today by the inhabitants of Greater Dakar. (1,2,3)

Iloilo River Esplanade is a promenade and linear park along the Iloilo River, created as part of the Iloilo River Rehabilitation Project. It is the largest linear park in the Philippines and was designed by the landscape architect Paulo Alcazaren. The esplanade is one of a kind in the country that aims to foster biodiversity, store carbon by mangroves and provide protection from possible flood damages. Furthermore, the project aspires to build a lifestyle hub for the locals and promotes educational eco-tourism. The site was an existing dike road devoid of shade and originally built just as a flood control measure. The redesign has showcased its effect on public amenities, received several recognitions and has become a magnet for tourists in this city. [1, 3, 6, 7]

The Central Forest Corridor surrounds the capital of Honduras, Tegucigalpa, and provides various ecosystem services to the population, with a particular emphasis on providing water for communities within both the corridor and Tegucigalpa (Ref. 3). However, limited access to water is common across Honduras, attributed to the degradation of watersheds as a result of deforestation and pollution of both ground and surface water (Ref. 1). Climate scenarios further "indicate that existing water scarcity will be exacerbated by climate change and increasing variability"... with "the main urban areas (Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula) and several agricultural areas (Patuca basin)...fac[ing] increased water scarcity in the near future" (Ref. 1).

"Siargao It Up" is the mangrove conservation programme in Del Carmen, Siargao Islands of the Philippines. The municipality of Del Carmen hosts the largest mangrove forest in the Philippines – consisting of 4,871 hectares as of 2018. This mangrove forest is the habitat of rare and endangered species of flora and fauna both in marine, wetland and terrestrial areas. This ecosystem helps maintain the island's ecological balance by providing rich breeding grounds for aquatic lives. Furthermore, the forest plays a key role in capturing and storing carbon and helps the Philippines to meet its goal of carbon emission reduction. In addition to creating habitats and storing carbon, the forest also protects the community from the inevitable effects of climate change disasters. Recently, in December 2021, it was able to protect the residents from the onslaught of Typhoon Odette. [1, 2, 3]

South Africa is struggling to provide services to the millions of poor people migrating to the major centres and living in informal settlements (shanty towns), built on land that was formerly used for agriculture or pasturage. Vegetation is sparse and the open spaces between the houses are generally of beaten earth. These areas face persistent challenges that undermine health and everyday well-being and increased disaster risk due to their poor design and lack of green infrastructure. Moreover, informal settlements are very vulnerable to flooding events, which affect the quality of life of the people living in them. Such a case is Diepsloot, a settlement in Johannesburg, where a team of researchers implemented a sustainable urban drainage system with the purpose of alleviating poor water infrastructure and addressing issues related to land erosion and environmental degradation. This research has been benefiting from the support of the local population through adaptive co-management and joint implementation of the intervention. (1,2)

In order to promote Urban and Periurban Agriculture and Forestry (UPAF) as a municipal strategy to deal with negative climate change effects, Bobo-Dioulasso local authorities have identified, using a participatory approach, city greenways as experimentation sites for local climate solutions. The intervention consists in transforming vacant land belonging to the city into green corridors (greenways) through market gardens and forestry, retaining the benefits of urban agriculture. Urban agriculture, when planned and managed properly, can contribute to climate change mitigation efforts by lowering the ecological footprint associated with food production. At the same time, urban agriculture can enhance climate change adaptation efforts by increasing vegetation cover and reducing surface water run-off, while at the same time conserving biodiversity. (1,2,3,4)

The Chulalongkorn University (CU) Centenary Park was created to provide a green space for the city and celebrate Chulalongkorn University’s 100th anniversary. Located in the centre of shopping and commerce, the park is designed as a multi-functional “urban forest”, which serves as an oasis for the residents and visitors of Bangkok, who can spend quality leisure time in a lush and pleasant environment. The park includes constructed wetlands with rain gardens, retention ponds, an underground water drainage system and green roof areas. Opened in 2017, Chulalongkorn Centenary Park is the first critical piece of green infrastructure in Bangkok to mitigate detrimental ecological issues and disaster risk reduction. Unlike other public parks around the city, this one is the first in Thailand to demonstrate how a park can help reduce urban flood risks and help the city confront climate change, all while offering city dwellers a place to reconnect with nature. Designed with various ecological design components, the park reminds the city of ways to live with water rather than fear it. [1, 2, 4]

The Rioni River basin is the second largest in Georgia, originating in the Greater Caucasus range and flowing into the Black Sea, traversing the town of Samtredia. Samtredia has been affected directly on many occasions by floods that have become a current occurrence in the Rioni River basin as of late. The underlying causes of vulnerability to climate change in the Rioni basin can be categorised into 1) physical factors –direct manifestations of climate change, 2) factors caused by anthropogenic intervention – those related to the harmful ways in which humans have and continue to interact with the environment which has exacerbated vulnerability and 3) Institutional factors – related to the legislative/regulatory barriers placed by government and other institutions, as well as limited capacity (human and resources) to manage climate change vulnerability. Flooding has been harmful not only to the local population but also to the biodiversity of the area, which suffered losses and an ecological imbalance and a disruption in the habitat patterns of local fauna. Many of these issues became the focal point of an activity developed by the Adaptation Fund alongside the Georgian government as early as 2012. The intervention stretched for 4 years and involved several localities in the Rioni River Basin, including Samtredia municipality, consisting of creating bank terracing, vegetative buffers, and tree revetments in order to address floods related to the Rioni River basin and the localities it traverses. (1,2)

The Beddagana Wetland Park is located in Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, Sri Lanka's administrative capital. The wetland park plays an important role in flood regulation and keeping the city cool during periods of extreme heat. The city is located in the Colombo district and the project contributes to the flood management goals of the Metro Colombo Urban Development Project (MCUDP). It demonstrates how a wetland can be preserved while promoting eco-tourism and improved livability in the city. The target area is located within the Sri Jayewardenapura-Kotte municipality and is a part of Parliament Lake. While focusing on the protection of the wetland habitat as a flood-retention area, the project also supports selecting investments aimed at the protection and landscaping of key areas within the target area to improve livability for local people living in and around the area, while providing access to much-needed recreational space. [2, 7]