Innovative financial mechanisms and stakeholders involvement for climate resilience implementation in Himalayan cities

The Indian Himalayan region is considered as one of the global hotspots for Climate change. The climate change impact poses additional stress on these cities and its residents and exacerbates the existing challenges on such as Water scarcity, drainage and solid waste management. This article represents a case example from three cities in the Indian Himalayan region (Shimla, Kurseong, Gangtok) and their resilience strategy formulation using ICLEI ACCCRN Process (IAP) toolkit and the process of laying the path to move from developing climate resilience strategies to project implementation through an active stakeholder engagement. Shimla and Kurseong brought forth water supply systems as one of the most fragile urban systems. Whereas, Gangtok recognized the essential need to adopt a proper Solid Waste Management system, especially to avoid clogging of open drains and natural streams in order to reduce the threat of landslide incidences that result in infrastructural, financial and human loss. This case study also focuses on innovative financing mechanism by linking the projects with the Small Grants Fund to create success stories which can further be upscale through convergence with existing federal government schemes.