Visual Documentation

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Government of India

Visual Documentation

Valuation of Ecosystems in Bhubaneswar

The ecosystem valuation video developed under the EPIC project highlights how urban ecosystems, often overlooked in city planning, provide critical ecological, social, and economic benefits to Bhubaneswar. Led by the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) with support from IUCN and the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, the video documents the valuation of three distinct urban ecosystems—Bindu Sagar, Jayadev Vatika, and the Gautam Nagar wetland—using a structured, seven-step ecosystem valuation framework. Through field surveys, expert consultations, and community interactions, the video demonstrates how these ecosystems contribute to groundwater recharge, temperature regulation, stormwater management, biodiversity support, livelihoods, and cultural and spiritual well-being. By translating these benefits into monetary and non-monetary values, the video makes a compelling case for integrating ecosystem valuation into urban planning and decision-making, reinforcing that protecting nature is not only environmentally sound but also economically prudent for building climate-resilient cities.

Strategy for Integrating NbS to Reduce Urban Floods in Bhubaneswar

The video on the Nature-based Solutions (NbS) strategy for urban flood management in Bhubaneswar presents a comprehensive, city-scale approach developed under the EPIC (Proliferating Ecosystem-based Adaptation Practices in Indian Cities) project, implemented by the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) with support from the Global EbA Fund. Using Bhubaneswar as the pilot city, the video explains how detailed baseline assessments, flood hotspot mapping, and ecosystem mapping were combined to understand the city’s flooding dynamics and the role of its blue-green infrastructure. It highlights how NbS were designed for multiple vulnerable locations by focusing on reducing surface runoff and creating space for water absorption through the conservation and restoration of natural drains, wetlands, lakes, and marshlands, along with interventions such as bioswales, rain gardens, and permeable surfaces. By integrating ecological systems with conventional urban planning and flood-resilient policies, the video demonstrates how Bhubaneswar’s NbS strategy offers a practical and scalable framework for building long-term urban flood resilience in Indian cities.

Integrating NbS for Flood Management in Bhubaneswar

The project video on Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for urban flood management in Bhubaneswar highlights how rapid urban growth, combined with climate-induced extreme rainfall, has increased the city’s vulnerability to recurrent monsoon flooding. Set against the backdrop of Bhubaneswar’s unique geography and natural drainage network, the video documents a science-driven Flood Vulnerability Assessment that integrated spatial data, field surveys, and community feedback to identify critical flood hotspots. It showcases how site-specific NbS—such as riparian buffers, rain gardens, bioswales, retention wetlands, and in-situ natural treatment systems—were designed for selected locations, including drain-based interventions, to work with natural hydrology rather than against it. By demonstrating reduced flood risk alongside co-benefits like groundwater recharge, urban cooling, pollution reduction, and improved public spaces, the video positions Bhubaneswar as a leading example of how ecosystem-based approaches can build resilient, inclusive, and climate-ready cities.

Introducing EPIC: Proliferating Ecosystem-based Adaptation Practices in Indian Cities

The project video under the EPIC (Proliferating Ecosystem-based Adaptation Practices in Indian Cities) project highlights how rapid urbanisation and climate change are transforming natural ecosystems in cities, leading to challenges such as urban flooding and water scarcity. Conceptualised by the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and supported by the Global EbA Fund of IUCN, the project promotes ecosystem-based adaptation and nature-based solutions as an integral part of urban development and climate resilience. Using Bhubaneswar as a pilot city, the video showcases the city’s diverse ecosystems—forests, wetlands, water bodies and natural drains—and demonstrates how ecosystem valuation and targeted nature-based solutions can strengthen water management, reduce climate risks, and support sustainable urban planning, with insights from project experts, city officials and local communities that can be replicated across other Indian cities.