The 21 st  Century is often referred to as an urban century – cities will rise across the globe and define the future trajectories of human civilization. With millions of people arriving in urban areas in the developing world every month and an estimated 70% of global GDP arising from urban areas, the proposition of an urban century does not seem farfetched. Another defining feature of the 21 st  Century is climate change’s impact on human civilizations across the globe.

Cities in developing countries would be disproportionately affected by the scarcity of water, eccentricity of precipitation and increasing temperatures. The poor and vulnerable would again bear a proportionately higher brunt of these changes, and their vulnerabilities would be
enhanced. The past few years have seen an increased number of climate disasters like excessive rainfall leading to massive floods, prolonged spells of drought, rising temperatures and increased frequency of cyclonic formations. Thus, there is an emerging necessity of looking into grassroots initiatives and policy planning focusing on climate justice with issues of the poor and marginalized at the centre to achieve true ecological justice.

Keeping this in mind, Urban Action School 2022 (UAS’22) is being organised jointly by ActionAid Association (India), Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA) and Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung South Asia from 21 st to 27 th November at the Thrissur campus of KILA.
With the broad theme of “Towards Climate Just Cities”, UAS’22 will welcome participants from 17 states across India. The participants come from diverse backgrounds, including grassroots activism, academia, policy making and civil society groups.

The UAS’22 will be inaugurated by Shri MB Rajesh, Honourable Minister for Local Self Government, Rural Development and Excise, Government of Kerala, in the august presence of Dr T M Thomas Isaac, Former Minister of Finance and Coir, Government of Kerala. Dr
Isaac would deliver the keynote lecture of UAS’22 as well and introduce the participants to the debates of climate justice – how disproportionate burdens of climate crisis and ensuing climate action are always borne by those who have no role in causing the crisis. The first three days of UAS’22 will focus on classroom learning on the conceptual intersections of the urban equity discourse with climate justice, an overview of the climate crisis in cities of the global south and understanding the debates surrounding climate change induced loss and
damage.

The fourth day is reserved for field visits to Alappuzha which will have two parts mainly. First, participants will see and hear about the climate-resilient actions such as canal cleaning and solid waste management in Allepey city. Then they will proceed Kainakary in the Kuttanad region of Kerala, where some of the most climate-vulnerable sites are located.

Dalits and poorer sections of Ezhavas, who were brought as casual labourers in creating bunds for land reclamation in these areas, still continue to live in these climate-vulnerable spaces. With the use of diesel and electric motors in the land reclamation process, these groups lost their livelihood and have started migrating to Allepey town, to work as casual labourers. The Kuttanad area is highly affected by regular floods every year, which is increasing in its magnitude and unpredictability in recent years. This field trip will provides a rural-urban connection and exposure to climate vulnerable rural sites linked to an urban area in Kerala as well as sites of climate resilient action in an urban area.

The final three days is meant to unpack the issues related to urban governance and policies in India in the context of the climate change crisis and galvanising people-centred locally-led climate action in urban areas. Dr V Venu, Additional Chief Secretary Home, Vigilance & Environment, Government of Kerala, would be joining the UAS’22 for the valedictory session to be held on 27 th November 2022. Celebrated academicians and activists including Prof Wendy Steele, Prof Bharat Dahiya, Prof Michael Tharakan, Soumya Datta, Ritwik Datta, Pradip Chatterjee, Leo F Saldanha and Tikender Singh Panwar among others would be part of the diverse pool of resource persons who will conduct the different sessions during these seven days.

Sandeep Chachra, Executive Director, ActionAid Association states, “The economic and social vulnerability of the urban poor will be further compounded by the heightened exposure to climate change and other associated disaster risks. As India prepares for climate change- induced distress, we must focus on making sustainable and inclusive cities resilient against natural calamities resulting from climate change. The UAS’22 aims to build the momentum for further action on climate justice in cities, focussing on people’s initiative with the participation and leadership of local and marginalised communities.”