Nature shows path to cyclone resilience

As the 21st century unfolds, cities remain at the frontline of the climate crisis. With nearly 70 per cent of the world’s population projected to live in urban areas by 2050, pressures on infrastructure, ecosystems, and public health continue to intensify. The growing frequency and severity of climate-related disasters - such as the emerging Cyclone Senyar in the Bay of Bengal - underscore the urgent need to rethink how we build and protect our cities. In this context, Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) offer a sustainable and inclusive pathway - acting as shields, buffers, and sponges that absorb climate shocks while strengthening long-term resilience.

- PRIYANKA VADREVU

Cyclone Senyar, developing over the southeast Bay of Bengal and expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm by late November 2025, highlights the vulnerabilities of coastal regions in India, particularly Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. With risks of heavy rainfall, strong winds, storm surge, and coastal flooding, Senyar serves as a timely reminder that conventional grey infrastructure alone cannot protect communities from escalating climate hazards.

The 16th UNEP Emissions Gap Report 2025 warns that global GHG emissions reached a record 57.7 Gt CO₂e in 2024, up 2.3 per cent from the previous year. Even if existing pledges are met, global warming could still reach 2.3-2.5°C. UNEP stresses that only accelerated action can realign pathways toward 1.5°C. Within this urgency, NbS emerge as one of the most direct, cost-effective, and equitable bridges between mitigation and adaptation.

Defined by IUCN as actions that protect, sustainably manage, and restore ecosystems for human and biodiversity benefits, NbS now underpin global resilience policy and the Sustainable Development Goals. Their applications - spanning urban forests, coastal wetlands, mangrove restoration, bioswales, and floodplain rejuvenation - enhance ecological health while reducing disaster risks.