London-Delhi Policy Brief_IIT_UCL .pdf

Extreme urban heat, a growing consequence of the twin challenges of urbanisation and climate change, represents a global issue requiring collaborative solutions. Shared challenges like these can spark unexpected moments of co-learning across cities. This Policy Brief reflects an evolving, reciprocal learning partnership between the UK and India, specifically London and Delhi as sources of knowledge co-production. Developed through a collaboration between University College London’s Department of Risk and Disaster Reduction and the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi, this work was supported by the UCL-IIT Delhi Strategic Partner Funds in 2024. The theme of inclusive governance for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) served as a lens to examine the gaps, silences, and issues of invisibility that complicate equitable responses to climate change. The insights presented in this Policy Brief are drawn from a combination of a literature review and interactive workshops involving academics, urban practitioners, and policymakers across Delhi and London.