This project aimed to build resilience and provide relief after Cyclone Fani caused heavy losses to the coastal communities of Odisha. Mobilizing the fishing community (led by the fisherwomen) and making them the vehicles for delivery was the focus. Differential impact on houses and public infrastructure was studied, and plans were formulated for future resilience.

Guidelines were prepared for converting public buildings into isolation wards, operations and maintenance, lockdown protocols and first responder training. The guidelines were formulated in line with National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) and climate factors such as building orientation and roof insulation for different climatic zones were considered.

This project developed approaches to address water-related risks in Assam, particularly floods and erosion along the Brahmaputra, Beki and Buri Dhing rivers. A framework for climate resilience of over 100 vulnerable villages along with implementation plans were formulated. Both were carried out through a participatory approach, in line with existing policies and plans.

Tourist sites by definition have many visitors. As such, if a disaster strikes, the impact is far greater in terms of property and lives lost. The cities of Gaya and Bihar Sharif are gateways to the tourist sites of Bodh Gaya and Nalanda respectively. We prepared comprehensive disaster management plans for both cities, including an AI-assisted risk model that was run in Gaya.

Monitoring the progress of programs is sometimes as important as the program itself. The Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework was launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs under its Smart Cities Mission to capture the progress made by cities in the preceding year. Case studies on local climate action and community interventions were prepared in this project.

The decline of wetlands reduces resilience against water-related hazards such as floods and droughts. Using wetlands as natural infrastructure for disaster risk reduction (DRR) can go a long way in mitigating hazards and bolstering resilience of local communities. In this project, we worked to restore wetlands in Kanwar basin, Bihar.

The railway line connecting Kashmir to the rest of India is a project of national importance. Navigating tough terrain, it comprises longer tunnels and higher bridges than have ever been built in the area. A comprehensive disaster management plan for such a line is unprecedented. The plan analyzes hazards and lays down protocols for reducing risk and taking emergency action.

This action research explored the improvement of system efficiency through community actions and frontline health worker effectiveness during COVID in NE India. Nudges that improve catalytic actions in small ways can improve outcomes significantly. The findings of the project showed ways to create high levels of social impact in community resilience through strategic actions.

The Virtual Cadre is a unique and effective governance mechanism in Kerala wherein identified office-bearers across state departments constitute a multi-sectoral team of disaster managers. This ensures better inter-departmental coordination, which has been an elusive goal of disaster management approaches. The focus was on training and capacity building of the Virtual Cadre.

Extreme heat disproportionately affects urban low-income families. Cities are hotter than the countryside, and slums are hotter than other parts of cities. The project demonstrated how women can mobilize, understand weather risks and lead frugal interventions such as cool roofs and street shading that are easily adopted, making their spaces safer from heat-related risks.

Local communities possess valuable traditional wisdom on ways to address their risks. They constantly come up with creative ways to solve their problems. This approach to innovation complements technology and governance to improve the efficiency of humanitarian action. The project identifies and supports such innovations across geographies and co-creates pathways to scale them.

Weather warnings and climate forecasts are usually too complex for end users such as farmers and citizens to fully understand and act upon. Additionally, information is often received from weather stations far away. This project targeted the collection and analysis of local weather data, improving both the understanding of risks and the actions that should be taken as a result.

Climate change is adversely impacting livelihoods across sectors and geographies. An overview of climate impacts, key sector insights, and nuances of how communities face downstream effects was synthesized to help identify priorities for resource allocation. This was done for vulnerable districts to inform our client's social impact investment priorities.