Rockefeller Foundation along with its key research and consultancy partner in India TARU Leading Edge will support an intensive process of technical and social studies, pilot projects to test emerging resilience-building solutions and stakeholder discussions over the next 12 months in the cities. This would result in development of a range of innovative project proposals to build the cities' resilience to climate change, with a focus on the most vulnerable groups.

The Indian cities selected are - Hubli Dharwad (Karnataka), Surat (Gujarat), Jodhpur (Rajasthan), Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh), Indore (Madhya Pradesh) and Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh). Other cities are from Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Rockefeller Foundation officials said an initial list of 14 Indian cities was included in the total Asia-wide list of 50 cities, from which a preliminary ranking on relative vulnerability to eight climate change impacts was conducted. The foundation has allocated $50 million from the $70 million fund to start the pilot project in these six cities, which will be extended to Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Surat's selection was for variety of reasons, including its strong civic body, future risks like floods due to river overflow, local high tide inundation, emergence of flood plain construction along Hazira corridor, vulnerability to further sea level rises, high number of vulnerable communities residing in the slums, presence of strong business and civil society stakeholder etc.

"Surat is the most vulnerable city as far as the effects of climate change are concerned. The foundation through ACCCRN initiative will provide clear plans and strategies for building resilience to the impact of climate change," said managing director (Asia), Rockefeller Foundation, Ashvin Dayal.

“The 2006 flood nearly submerged over three fourths of Surat. Also, in 2008, its coastal areas witnessed highest known tide in the history, which led to submergence of Olpad taluka,” Dayal added.