Proliferating EbA Practices in Indian Cities (EPIC)

Implemented by National Institute of Urban Affairs

About

The project will create an enabling environment for mainstreaming EbA solutions in the water management strategy of Bhubaneshwar city in India. The specific focus of the project is on flood mitigation and reducing instances of water scarcity. The activities that will be conducted to achieve the overall objective of the project include (a) performing economic valuation of three major ecosystems in the city, as a precursor to seek buy-in for adoption of EbA solutions from different stakeholders, (b) developing an evidence base of practical EbA solutions for the city especially highlighting the relevant local and traditional practices, (c) creating decision support systems to facilitate the uptake of EbA for mitigating urban flooding and reducing water scarcity, and (d) inspiring other cities in India to adopt EbA as a tangible avenue to complement ongoing water management initiatives. 

Project start date: October 2022

Duration: 24 months

Cohort: 2nd (September 2021 cutoff)

Award: US$249,975

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Project Status

The Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) practice is an emerging concept globally as well as in the Indian context. To create an echo of EPIC project activities amongst government, think-tank organizations, and citizenries, the print and digital media have been leveraged by the project team from time to time. At the inception stage of the project in November 2022, two LinkedIn posts by the Team Lead and Technical Advisor at NIUA publicized the EPIC project. In April 2023, The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), a key stakeholder of the project announced the EPIC project by using its official Twitter account (@bmcbbsr) about the EPIC project being done in the city. Leading national newspapers as well as a local newspaper covered the EPIC project to inform the public at large about how climate change-related issues like urban flooding and water scarcity could be addressed using Ecosystem-based Adaptation. The official LinkedIn and Twitter account of NIUA follows the EPIC project activities and reposts them.

Header Image: © NIUA / Gregory Piper; Footer Image: Subhadeep Dishant © Unsplash

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