CapaCITIES Programme Decade Celebration and Knowledge Product Launch
The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs reported on the event 'Scaling Urban Climate Resilience: The CapaCITIES Legacy and Way Forward' held on July 14, 2026, at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. The event celebrated the progress of the decade-long CapaCITIES programme, which was organized by ICLEI South Asia and National Institute of Urban Affairs with funding from the Embassy of Switzerland to India and Bhutan.
Programme Overview and Implementation
The Capacity Building Project on Low Carbon and Climate Resilient City Development in India (CapaCITIES) programme, launched in 2016, has equipped Indian cities with knowledge, tools, and institutional capacities to mainstream low-carbon, climate-resilient development into urban governance. The programme supported India's 2070 net-zero emissions objective by aligning local action with national missions and state-level goals. Implementation occurred through a collaborative partnership involving ICLEI South Asia, South Pole, and econcept, with National Institute of Urban Affairs as knowledge partner. The programme supported cities of Coimbatore, Thiruchirappalli, Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu, Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Vadodara, Udaipur, and Siliguri, along with state governments of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.
Event Participation and Key Statements
The convening gathered senior government officials, mayors, commissioners and engineers from over 30 cities, representatives from 6 state governments, financial institution representatives, and technical experts. The inaugural session featured Mr. Gopal Prasad, Economic Adviser, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, who emphasized the need to integrate climate action with urban planning and establish dedicated climate cells within urban local bodies. H.E. Ms. Maya Tissafi, Ambassador of Switzerland to India and Bhutan, highlighted the decade-long India-Switzerland partnership behind the initiative. Dr. Debolina Kundu, Director of National Institute of Urban Affairs, noted the programme's multiple developmental co-benefits including livelihood generation, community awareness, women empowerment, and ecosystem restoration. Mr. Emani Kumar, Deputy Secretary General of ICLEI, stated the programme's alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Panchamrit goals and national missions like Mission LiFE, Smart Cities Mission, AMRUT, and the Urban Challenge Fund.
Knowledge Products Launched
The event featured the launch of three CapaCITIES Knowledge Products: the Net-Zero Climate Resilient Cities Methodology Toolkit, Energy Transition for Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in India: A Practitioner's Guidebook, and Facilitating the Transition of Cities in India Along a Low-Carbon Pathway: Enabling the Flow of Finance (a white paper). Additionally, a Video Training Series on Preparation and Implementation of Net-Zero Climate Resilient City Action Plans was launched and made available on the National Urban Learning Platform.
Programme Impact and Achievements
Over the past decade, the programme achieved significant systemic changes and scalable urban solutions. It pioneered Net-Zero Climate Resilient City Action Plans (CRCAPs) across eight cities in four states: Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Vadodara, Coimbatore, Tiruchirappalli, Tirunelveli, Siliguri, and Udaipur. The programme established permanent Net-Zero and Climate Action Cells in six project cities for long-term implementation, monitoring, and climate budgeting. High-impact pilot projects were deployed including Ahmedabad's solar e-bus charging station, Coimbatore's 154 kWp floating solar plant, Rajkot's Green Mobility Zone with 100 subsidized e-autos, Tiruchirappalli's lake restoration, Tirunelveli's early flood warning system, and Vadodara's Miyawaki urban forestry.
Quantitative Impact Metrics
The programme achieved substantial measurable impacts: 35+ cities using the Climate Resilient City Action Planning methodology, 34+ cities supported through the Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework, 1000+ people trained in climate planning and implementation, 12 Climate Action Plans developed, 25 quick-win projects implemented, 24 bankable projects conceptualized with 16 bankability reports developed, and 25+ technical studies conducted. Financial impacts included INR 7142 billion in climate investments identified through Net-Zero CRCAPs, INR 120.52 million invested through CapaCITIES pilot projects, INR 40.52 million mobilized through government co-financing, and INR 3.84 billion committed for scale-up investments. The programme also expanded capacity-building frameworks to Global South neighbors including Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia.