At COP 27 Kolkata established its climate vulnerability and signalled a local COP summit soon

Kolkata has presented its climate vulnerability as well as actions taken so far during a meeting at COP 27, presently being held at Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt. After the deliberation, the civic body has decided to hold a city level climate summit soon to further take forward its action against climate change.

Kolkata was the only city from the country being part of the meeting, focussed on urban climate resilience and organised by Climate Action Network South Asia, that had representations from several south Asian cities. Incidentally Kolkata has been identified as one of the most vulnerable global cities to climate change in recent UN reports.

“Kolkata Municipal Corporation was invited to participate in COP 27 to present its climate risks and climate mitigation and adaptation roadmap along with various international cities, after recently announcing its support to the global pledge to cut fossil fuel, being the first city in India to take the step. I could not be present at Sharm El Sheikh in person and our mayor in council member Debasish Kumar has represented the city” said mayor Firhad Hakim to this reporter.

Kolkata; one of the most vulnerable cities

“Recent global reports have highlighted the vulnerability of Kolkata particularly due to its proximity to Sundarbans; one of the major global hotspots. Reports have clearly pointed our risk to high heat, severe cyclones, intense rainfall within short duration and likewise” said Debasish Kumar, also the chair of KMC’s climate and solar committee, who was at the event at Sharm El Sheikh where this reporter was present. “Aila to Amphan, series of cyclones have clearly demonstrated our vulnerability with toppling of thousands of trees, acute water logging and likewise” explained Kumar reminding that only during Amphan cyclone, one of the severest globally in 2020, about 15000 trees were toppled in the city.

Kumar pointed out that already the civic body and state has taken few steps like providing solar connectivity in 8 major city parks and turning them carbon neutral ; introducing electrical vehicles; undertaking plantation of trees; but admitted that “the city needs to do more to reduce the city’s carbon footprint”.

IPCC report highlighted concerns

The recently released AR 6 IPCC report underlined both the city’s existing as well as predicted risk.

Increasing risk: Beyond 2040, climate change would lead to numerous risks and occurrence of multiple climate hazards, often in tandem

Loss of green cover: Lost substantial green cover because of Cyclone Amphan

Inadequate resilience plan: limitations of resilience plans to address vulnerability.

Disaster mortality: among eight megacities most vulnerable to disaster-related mortality, only one from India

Flooding: Third among the 20 largest coastal flood prone global cities with highest flood losses by 2050, also have risk of subsidence because of sea-level rise and flooding. One day rainfall may increase by 55 percent.

Cyclone rise: Category 3-5 cyclones (extremely severe or super cyclones) likely to increase in Sundarban, also affecting Kolkata.

Inundation due to Sea level rise: Bay of Bengal water expected to rise 0.6 metres by century-end; impacting Kolkata already with an old and stressed drainage system

Highest temperature rise: Warming in the city increased by 2.6°C, in last 6 decades, highest in the world followed by Teheran and Moscow;

Further temperature rise: Average temperature may rise about 4.5 degree C by century end while maximum temperature may touch about 50 degree C, if present trend of global emission continues.

“Though the predictions are benchmarked against the figures from 1850-1900 as the man-made emission has started since then; but the increase has been most pronounced in recent decades” said a climate expert associated with Kolkata University.

Climate action is an absolute priority: Mayor

“I consider countering climate change along with air pollution are of paramount importance for the city if we want to keep it habitable for the next generation” added Mayor Hakim.

Mayor has welcomed the idea of holding a city COP (conference of people), that has come up during the meeting at the Sharm El Sheikh, soon with the dual aim of making people aware at large as well as interacting with key stakeholder groups leading to the preparation of city’s holistic climate action plan.

“It’s a very good idea. We will definitely organise a Kolkata COP soon involving all stakeholders after I discuss the details with experts who are in Sharm El Sheikh and helping us in countering climate change” said mayor Hakim to this reporter.

“We are committed to support CMC in its effort to counter climate change and prepare its climate action plan. I feel it’s a great idea to organise the climate COP for the city; and inputs from them can be used in preparation of such an action plan” said Sanjay Vashist, the director of Climate Action Network South Asia.

“Climate meeting with all city stakeholders is a good idea, but the civic body needs to walk-talk on its words; still greenery being cut and water bodies being encroached in the city including east Calcutta wetlands” said a city based environmentalist.

“After the main meeting, I had smaller meetings with a few key global organisations and experts present in COP 27 including World Health Organisation; and all of them welcomed the idea of holding such a city based local COP and promised all the help in its execution. Once back, after discussion at the civic body and clearance of the Mayor and state government we will start the formal process” said Kumar to this reporter at COP 27.