Telangana launches State Climate Centre for Cities, Urban Climate Atlas

The Telangana government has inaugurated the State Climate Centre for Cities, a unique initiative under the City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain (CITIIS) Programme 2.0. Located in Hyderabad's CDMA office, the centre aims to enhance climate-responsive urban planning and sustainable development for Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).

Commissioner and Director of Municipal Administration, T.K. Sreedevi, led the inauguration and introduced the Telangana Urban Climate Atlas, a digital platform delivering spatial information on urban climate risks and vulnerabilities. The centre will act as Telangana's central hub for climate-related knowledge, data management, and technical support for municipalities.

Its responsibilities include managing climate data, assessing greenhouse gas emissions, conducting climate risk and vulnerability studies, and preparing climate action plans.

The CDMA highlighted that the centre will assist ULBs in creating climate action plans and integrate them into an Integrated State Climate Action Plan. Additionally, it will support climate-responsive budgeting by enabling municipalities to identify expenditure related to climate impacts and align future investments with sustainability goals.

The Telangana Urban Climate Atlas, which consolidates spatial data on climate risks, vulnerabilities, emissions, and urban services, will enable municipal officials to visually analyze climate risks, identify vulnerable areas, prioritize investments, and develop local climate action strategies.