Urban-Act: Integrated Urban Climate Action for Low-Carbon & Resilient Cities

April-June | 2026
Regional

Mitigation of Climate Change

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Urban-Act India strengthened climate-resilient urban development through India’s participation at the World Urban Forum 2026, city-level action on C&D waste and urban greening, and global knowledge exchange and capacity building for future climate leaders.

Project Updates

1. Indo-German participation in World Urban Forum 2026 at Baku, Azerbaijan 

At the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13), held in Baku from 17–22 May 2026, Urban-Act showcased practical approaches to advancing climate-resilient, inclusive and sustainable urban development. Through strong partnerships and the active participation of Indian cities and officials, the project connected local experiences with global urban policy discussions.

Key highlights:

• India took a leading role, with Urban-Act India supporting the participation and presentations of officials from partner cities, including Shimla, and bringing Indian experiences to the global stage.
• GIZ India supported MoHUA in establishing the India Pavilion, providing a platform to showcase India’s urban development priorities and solutions.
• Urban-Act contributed to discussions on climate finance, digitalisation, resilient housing, circular economy and city-to-city partnerships.
• Shimla’s C&D waste management experience demonstrated how technical cooperation and peer learning can translate climate action into practical city-level solutions.

Overall, Urban-Act strengthened its role as a bridge between policy, city-level implementation and international knowledge exchange for climate-resilient urban development.

2. Training Workshop on Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste Management at Panaji, Goa

As part of the Integrated Urban Climate Action for Low-Carbon and Resilient Cities initiative, GIZ India, in collaboration with the Directorate of Municipal Administration, Goa and the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP), organised a one-day training workshop on Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste Management on 16 June 2026 in Panaji. The workshop brought together government officials, urban local bodies, technical experts and other stakeholders to strengthen capacities for sustainable C&D waste management in Goa.

The workshop covered the status and challenges of C&D waste management, including waste generation, institutional and infrastructure gaps, material recovery and recycling opportunities, and key provisions of the latest C&D Waste Management Rules. Participants also explored Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), waste management plans and digital tracking systems.

Findings from the GIZ-supported assessment of C&D waste management in Panaji were presented, alongside good practices from Ahmedabad, Delhi, Hubli-Dharwad, Pune, Victoria (Canada) and Maafushi (Maldives). Discussions focused on adapting these experiences to Goa’s context.

The workshop concluded with the introduction of a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for Panaji and discussions on a phased roadmap to strengthen C&D waste management through improved infrastructure, institutional coordination, monitoring and resource recovery.

3. World Environmental day celebration at Panaji, Goa

As part of the Integrated Urban Climate Action for Low-Carbon and Resilient Cities (Urban-Act) project, GIZ India, in collaboration with the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP), commemorated World Environment Day 2026 by bringing together municipal councillors and government officials to strengthen awareness and action on environmental sustainability.

Aligned with this year's #NowForClimate campaign, the programme highlighted the role of Urban Local Bodies in advancing climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable cities. 

Participants discussed key environmental challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and waste management, while gaining insights into the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, the responsibilities of waste generators, and the importance of circular economy approaches and resource recovery.

The event also covered recent Supreme Court directions on solid waste management, emphasizing institutional accountability and strengthening implementation at the local level. Through an interactive discussion, participants identified practical actions to improve waste management and environmental governance in Panaji.

To mark the occasion, participants took the World Environment Day Pledge, reaffirming their commitment to responsible waste management and climate action. The programme concluded with a guided visit to CCP's Material Recovery Facility (MRF), providing first-hand exposure to waste segregation and resource recovery practices.

The event reinforced the importance of collaboration between local governments and communities in advancing cleaner, more resilient, and climate-friendly cities.

4. Empowering Tomorrow's Climate Leaders Through Global Learning at Shimla, Himachal Pradesh

Creating climate-resilient cities starts with creating informed and empowered people.

To inspire the next generation of urban planners, researchers, and decision-makers, Urban-Act project with the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC), St. Bede's College, Shimla, successfully organized a one-day International Symposium on "Climate Change Adaptation and Urban Resilient Communities" on 10th July, 2026 in the College Auditorium. 

The symposium brought together eminent national and international experts, academicians, researchers, policymakers, and students to deliberate on contemporary issues related to climate change adaptation, urban resilience, and sustainable development. 

A special highlight was the sharing of German knowledge and experience through Urban-Act's partnerships with the University of Stuttgart and the Technical University of Dortmund. Participants explored how scientific research, climate data, urban flood risk assessment, and evidence-based planning methods developed in Germany can help Indian cities become more resilient to climate change.

By bringing international expertise into the classroom, Urban-Act is helping universities strengthen climate awareness, encourage innovation, and prepare young professionals to tackle the urban challenges of tomorrow.

5. One day workshop on Greening Guideline and Citizen Handbook at Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

Coimbatore, one of the fastest-growing cities in Tamil Nadu, is experiencing increasing environmental stress due to rapid urbanisation, expansion of transport infrastructure, and widespread hardscaping. While the city continues to grow as an industrial, educational, and economic hub, these processes have significantly reduced permeable surfaces and green cover, intensifying climate and environmental risks. These interlinked challenges highlight the need for a structured, science-based, and locally grounded approach to urban greening. Greening must be planned as essential urban infrastructures supporting climate resilience, ecological restoration, and improved quality of life, rather than as isolated or ad-hoc plantation drives and in this regard the project along with CCMC is developing a Urban Greening Guideline and Citizen Handbook for CCMC. The Greening Guideline will be a guide for the city’s project engineer/ officers/ ward officers to design, plan and manage any new/ existing/ planned projects and efforts in greening within the city and the citizen handbook is an easy-to-understand guide for citizens to plan and develop green around them and promote citizen stewardship to manage climate change

The project conducted the first stakeholder workshop In February 2026 and the final validation workshop on 29 July 26 with CCMC officials and other stakeholders including RWAs, NGOs, Academia etc.

6. Publication - Climate Budgeting Tool User Manual

The Climate Budgeting Tool has been developed for cities is based on the Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework (CSCAF) indicators to identify climate relevant expenditure of the city and support decision making during budget preparation by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). The tool is to be shared only amongst the identified city departments. The manual provides detailed instructions on how to use the Climate Budget Tool.