Press Release: Urban Greenprints: A Nature-based Solutions Feasibility Framework for Urban Coastal Regions

The Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), a Bengaluru-based think tank, has released a new report titled Urban Greenprints: A Nature-based Solutions Feasibility Framework for Urban Coastal Regions, calling for a paradigm shift in how India’s coastal cities approach urban planning and climate resilience. Focusing on Chennai in Tamil Nadu and Mangaluru in Karnataka, the report makes a compelling case for integrating Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in urban planning to address the escalating challenges of flooding, environmental degradation, and climate-induced vulnerabilities.

Drawing on in-depth assessments in 23 wards of Chennai and 4 wards of Mangaluru, the study evaluates the feasibility and impact of NbS interventions. Among the main findings is the significant potential for rooftop greening, which could expand NbS-covered areas by 76% in Chennai and 80% in Mangaluru within the selected study regions. In both cities, the uptake of permeable pavements could enhance stormwater drainage capacity by 5%, reducing surface runoff and mitigating flood risks. Optimising existing waterbodies for flood mitigation, groundwater recharge, and biodiversity emerged as a particularly critical strategy.

Further, a cost–benefit analysis showed that in the study area in Chennai, an investment of INR 2,203 crore for select NbS could result in annual savings of INR 505.31 crore in avoided flood damages, with a payback period of just over 4 years. In study wards in Mangaluru, a smaller investment of INR 172.97 crore could still generate INR 11.62 crore in annual savings, breaking even within 15 years and becoming cost-positive by 2027. These projections are based on conservative estimates of cost and time, and the actual benefits may be greater.

While the focus is on Chennai and Mangaluru, the report’s findings have broader significance for India’s rapidly urbanising coastal regions.