Topic outline

  • Slum upgradation and Risk based land use planning to Building Resilience to Climate Change in Informal Settlements


     

     

    Instructor(s) Mamta Patwardhan

    As Taught in 2016-2018

    Level Master in Urban Design

    Type lecture substantiated with mapping techniques

    Lecture Hours : 2 hours per week

    Site Visits: 8 hours 

    Report Preparation : 2 weeks 

    • Syllabus Page

      Climate Risk Assessment 

    • Elective File

      The inhabitants of informal settlements especially in the developing world face enormous challenges due to the penury of basic services.  These challenges are increasingly exacerbated by the impacts of climate change and natural hazards. The already vulnerable communities, when exposed to impacts of landslides, extreme rainfall events, sea level rise, flooding and other hazards, are subjected to even greater risks. It is imperative to understand the vulnerability of the inhabitants to climate change and develop resilience in the informal settlements.

      Assessing risk can be made an integral part of urban planning and decision making by streamlining data acquisition and management into an integrated system that can not only be updated and monitored easily, but also be accessible to all stakeholders involved in city management. There has to a flexible and dynamic approach to build resilience that is a step ahead of risk mitigation measures.

      The collection and sharing of hazard-related information will benefit emerging programs in the four phases of risk management (risk reduction, preparedness, response, and recovery) and the formulation of programs to adapt to health risks and climate change.

       

      The objective of the course would be knowledge and skill building that will enable the students to use design as a medium for adaptation strategies.

  • Module 1: Introduction to climate change, urban environment and climate risks

    This modules aims to introduce the concept of climate change phenomena in the Indian context, rapid urbanization and their repercussions, concepts of hazards and climate risks

    Definition of key terms, Rural to Urban development, Climate Change, Climate Risks

    • Introduction to climate change, urban environment and adaptation
    • Introduction to vulnerability , hazards and disaster risks
    • Vulnerability to climate change

    Looking at various informal settlements in the city and understanding the multiple or cascading risks prevalent in various sites.

    • Climate change policies, NAPCC
    • Climate Change Impacts on Cities,
    • Informal settlements, urban poor and vulnerable groups
    • Impacts related to Urban Poverty and Informal Settlements

     

    • Module 2: Introduction to climate change policies (NAPCC, UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol), Impacts of Climate Change on cities and the Urban Poor

      This module introduces India’s national action plan on Climate Change and deals with the impact of climate change related to urban poverty and informal settlements in the city.

      Development of risk management framework consisting of mitigation, preparedness, disaster, response, recovery and reconstruction phases.

      • Risk, uncertainty and complexity
      • Disaster Risk management and Opportunities for Resilience

      Learning the principles of building resilience. Developing tools for building resilience with respect to the site context.

      • Social Resilience
      • Land Use Planning
      • Urban Upgrading
      • Incorporating Resilience Into the Project Cycle

      Reading Materials:

    • Module 3: Risk identification, Assessment methods and Principles of Building Urban Resilience

      This module deals with identification of climate risks within informal settlements in the city, methods for assessment and developing tools for building resilience within the vulnerable communities.

      Establishing methodology for climate risk assessment based on site context.

      • Selection of sites
      • Site visit for survey based on suitable sampling methods
      • Empirical data gathering

    • Module 4: Data Gathering, Mapping, assessing and evaluating risks

      Preparation of risks maps. Preparation of risk map indicating extent and magnitude of risk;

      Exploring planning tools to build resilience.

      • Introduction to Open Data Kit for android based mobile data collection
      • Collecting hazard data from site
      • Downloading data and visualizing in QGIS
      • Geo referencing existing land use maps, development plans and historical maps
      • Terrain analysis using remote sensing techniques in QGIS


      Reading Materials:

    • Module 5: Adaptation strategies through risk based urban planning as well as urban infrastructure upgradation

      This module deals with stakeholder and community participation to help build adaptive strategies. Key findings will be incorporated in developing a risk based land use plan.

      • Analysis of Social, Infrastructural, Economic and Institutional resilience. Addressing the gap between risk reduction, urban planning and housing.
      • Exploring community and stakeholder participation to develop adaptive strategies. 

      Reading Materials: