India’s urban floods: Why we need to look at nature-based solutions

[...]

To combat such occurrences, to date, cities have mostly relied on traditional approaches of flood management termed ‘Grey Infrastructure’. These often get overwhelmed during heavy downpours due to the reduced capacity of installed pipelines, flood storage, drawbacks in the operation of pumping stations and a general lack of maintenance.

Many older Indian cities do not even possess a proper urban stormwater management system. However, several cities worldwide have devised sustainable water adaptive urban designs, keeping in mind Goal 13 of United Nations-mandated sustainable development goals: Climate Action. 

These nature-based solutions are socio-ecologically sound to reduce the loss of lives and livelihoods from urban floods. These measures can be exercised at both ends of the system, from individuals in households to local government bodies. 

Though such practices do not have a universally accepted definition, they usually include setting up components like urban forests, terraces and slopes, open green spaces and corridors. 

[...]