• Exploring Innovation in Climate Change
    • Climate and Sustainability Planning
    • Hazard, Vulnerability, Risk Assessment
    • Thermal comfort
    • Climate Change Risk and Adaptation for Cities
    • Water-positive Habitats 
    • Digital Adoption
    • Zero carbon emission  
About Us

Climate and Sustainability - Key Projects


Project Name: Roadmap for Planning Heatwave Management in India
Client: Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN)

The Roadmap for Planning Heatwave Management in India was developed under the guidance of eminent national and international experts including those from health, disaster; urban planning and environment fields.

Project Name: Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network (ACCCRN India)
Client: The Rockefeller Foundation

Taru is Rockefeller Foundation’s India country partner for the “Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network,” a major climate change initiative that focuses upon assessing Climate Change related risks in 40+ cities across four countries (India, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam), and building climate change resilience to a changing, challenging urban environment. The initiative aims to catalyze attention, funding, and action in three primary areas: 1. Experimenting with and testing local approaches to building climate change resilience for institutions and systems serving poor and vulnerable communities, 2. Promoting, demonstrating, and disseminating knowledge about these and other viable approaches, 3. Increasing awareness among funders, practitioners, policy makers and business on the need to invest in building climate resilience.

Project Name: Multi-sector Assessment of Drought Impacts in Select Regions of South India
Client: OXFAM

This study was undertaken for Oxfam India and covered four drought-affected districts in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra. Based on field assessments and consultations at the district level, the exercise assessed the situation from a sector-specific perspective (covering Agriculture/Agronomy, Animal husbandry, Food and Nutrition, Drinking Water, Livelihoods, Employment and Migration, and Programme Logistics including Relief) to arrive at the extent of current crisis and possible impacts; and, suggested possible interventions for the short-term (6 months) and medium-term (3-5 years).

Project Name: End-to-End Early Warning System for Ukai and Local Floods in Surat City
Client: The Rockefeller Foundation

The objective of this study is to assess and visualize the risks (fluvial, pluvial and tidal creek floods), to develop a system to collect and collate weather forecast data, to monitor & collect real-time reservoir (water release) and rainfall data for River Tapi catchment, hydrological and hydraulic modelling for various climate change scenarios (precipitation and sea level rise) and conduct vulnerability assessments (including people, settlements, industries) in flood plains (identified based on model results). It is expected that through this study, the respite time for floods within Surat city will be increased. The project will improve the management of reservoir release thereby reducing the intensity of floods and resultant damages in the city of Surat and surrounding areas. Further, this intervention will also support the city administration in preparing and in effectively responding to any flood like situation well in advance. The project is being implemented through the Surat Climate Change Trust (SCCT, established in 2012 under the ACCCRN initiative).

Project Name: Climate Change Risk and an Adaptation and Mitigation Agenda for Indian Cities
Client: IIED and the Earth Institute, Columbia University

IIED and the Earth Institute, Columbia University commissioned Taru to prepare the India background paper for the Global Urban Summit on Climate Change Risk and an Adaptation and Mitigation Agenda for Indian Cities. The Paper reviewed all the major climate change risks to Indian cities, identified populations and elements at risk and attempted to define a climate change adaptation and mitigation framework for Indian cities.

Project Name: Promoting cool roof and passive ventilation concept in range of urban buildings
Client: The Rockefeller Foundation

As part of the ACCCRN resilience intervention project, the Rockefeller Foundation is supporting projects to improve indoor thermal comfort and reduce energy demands for low-income households in the Indian cities of Indore and Surat by identifying, piloting and mainstreaming cool roof and passive ventilation technologies to a range of urban buildings. The project aims to develop and disseminate cool roof and passive ventilation options to bring about citywide changes in energy conservation efforts. It is aimed that the options will cut across affordability ranges as well as types of roofs and walls, in order to bring about improved indoor comfort, especially for poor communities

Project Name: Urban lake restoration for emergency water provision
Client: The Rockefeller Foundation

The project is implemented by Taru as part of the resilience intervention project in the city of Indore. The project aims to build the resilience of lndore city to address climate and urbanization induced water scarcity. The climate change prognosis and water scarcity issues that Indore faces are indicative of the crisis that many Indian and world cities will face in coming years. Developing and testing implementation models that improve the redundancy of water supply and improved water quality of urban lakes will contribute to the growing body of evidence on practical approaches to building urban climate change resilience developed by ACCCRN and other programs.