Economic Aspects of Urban Development

In Delhi, the temperature hit 42.1°C this year. But some people didn't have the luxury of going indoors because the street was their workplace. India’s 3 crore+ street vendors from fruit sellers to chaat walas spend over 12 hours a day under the open sky. They’re not just battling heat; they’re battling the vanishing shade. A recent study by Azim Premji University in Hyderabad reveals a disturbing trend: "As Indian cities grow vertically, their green cover shrinks." And the hardest hit? Women, migrants, and informal workers who depend on those trees for a livelihood. “When the tree was there, I sold 20 plates of Bhel. Now, I sit in the sun and barely manage 6.” -  a street vendor in Delhi. This isn't an isolated story. According to Greenpeace India & National Hawkers Federation (2024) survey: - 50% of street vendors in Delhi lost income during the summer months - 80% saw a dip in footfall due to extreme heat - ₹500–₹600 worth of goods go bad daily due to heat damage - 71% couldn’t afford medical care - Women vendors reported rising BP, menstrual irregularities, and sleep deprivation. And yet, despite Delhi hitting a record-breaking 50°C last year, heatwaves are still not recognized as a national disaster. Worse, street vendors are often left out of urban planning and climate resilience strategies. Green spaces are not aesthetic choices- they are economic lifelines. For many vendors, a tree is more than shade. It’s a signboard, a cooling system, and a guarantee of survival. And yet, the people who pollute the least are paying the highest price for climate change. If you’re in a position to influence policy, design public spaces, or fund local initiatives - pause and ask: Are we building cities that everyone can survive in?

More than half of the world’s most populated cities are getting wetter, while others are becoming drastically drier—revealing alarming shifts driven by climate change. The pioneering new study from WaterAid compares each city’s social and water infrastructure vulnerabilities alongside 40+ years-worth of new data on climate hazards: 🌧️ 52% of major cities (like Colombo, Mumbai, Kuala Lumpur) are experiencing increased rainfall, amplifying flood risks, disrupting supply chains, damaging infrastructure, and increasing insurance liabilities. 🔥 44% of cities (including Los Angeles, Riyadh, Paris, Cairo) face intensified dryness and droughts, threatening water security, agriculture, tourism, and pushing businesses toward costly adaptations. Perhaps most concerning: 250 million people live in cities that have shifted dramatically from one extreme to the other, creating a dangerous "climate whiplash." What does this mean for the economy and businesses? 📌 Infrastructure vulnerabilities: Europe's aging cities and rapidly growing urban areas in Asia and Africa must urgently invest in climate-resilient infrastructure. 📌 Business continuity risks: Companies need to reevaluate supply chains, water usage, and risk management strategies to remain competitive. 📌 Water scarcity threats: “Day Zero”—when cities run out of water—poses profound economic and security risks, potentially disrupting entire markets. Read the report 👇 https://lnkd.in/ex6XrGrt

Yet more evidence that extreme weather is no longer a distant threat; it is a material financial risk currently reshaping our global economy to the tune of nearly US$1 trillion in projected losses. The latest analysis from CDP reveals a staggering "recognition gap": while 62% of cities and regions are already feeling the impact, only 35% of companies identify extreme weather as a material financial risk. Key takeaways from the report: ⌛ 𝐈𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭: Nearly half (48%) of identified risks are expected to materialise within the next two years, placing them firmly within current operational and investment horizons. 💰 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Anticipated future losses reach US$898 billion, primarily driven by flooding and cyclones. Yet, the cost of mitigating these risks is nearly 13 times lower than the impact of the risks themselves. 🚨 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐕𝐮𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: Losses are moving beyond isolated assets to affect shared systems—infrastructure, supply chains, and insurance markets—that we all depend upon. 📈 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡: While insurers anticipate US$49 billion in climate-related claims, many companies have yet to price in the potential for rising premiums or coverage restrictions. Link to the full report is in the first comment below.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 World Economic Forum 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗶𝘁 “𝘐𝘯𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘌𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥.” In the 𝘞𝘌𝘍 𝘎𝘭𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘭 𝘙𝘪𝘴𝘬𝘴 𝘙𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 2026:  • Extreme weather is ranked the #1 global risk over the next 10 years  • Biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse show the sharpest rise in severity  • Environmental risks are viewed as more destabilising than inflation, debt, or conflict 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿: 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘴, 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 are already disrupting energy systems, transport networks, utilities, and supply chains, turning once-reliable infrastructure into a source of economic volatility. Risk is no longer just about what you own. It’s about what your assets depend on. The WEF is explicit: failing legacy infrastructure is being pushed beyond its limits by more frequent and more intense extreme weather, with growing economic and social consequences. The 𝗨𝗞 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟭𝟴𝟱𝟬𝘀–𝟭𝟵𝟳𝟬𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲, but is now operating in the 2030s–2050s (+2°C to +3°C) climate.  • London’s main sewer system (Bazalgette): built in the 1850s–1870s, for Victorian rainfall assumptions  • Core railway network: laid largely during the 1840s–1870s expansion  • Motorway network (M1, M6, M4, M62): built mainly in the 1960s–1970s, the peak “concrete era” Much of today’s critical infrastructure still relies on 1960s-era design thresholds for rainfall intensity, flooding, and temperature extremes that have now been materially breached. This is how global climate and environmental reality collide with legacy systems. Across the UK today, rainfall intensity increasingly exceeds historic design specifications  • Victorian combined sewers are overwhelmed during heavy rain  • 1960s drainage standards are breached more frequently, driving surface-water flooding  • Ports and airports face rising tidal and surface-water flood risk The result is not just physical damage, but economic drag:  • Lost operating days for UK businesses  • Rising maintenance and capital expenditure  • Insurance and financing challenges in exposed locations  • Growing regional divergence in economic resilience The WEF report highlights that indirect impacts, such as supply-chain failure, transport disruption, and utility outages, often exceed the direct physical damage that makes the headlines. Infrastructure stress becomes the transmission mechanism from physical climate and nature risk into the real economy. For UK asset owners and investors, the uncomfortable truth is this: Most portfolios assume infrastructure always works. The growing risk is that it increasingly doesn’t. Infrastructure that cannot cope with today’s climate is no longer defensive. It’s a source of risk. Worth asking whether the infrastructure assumptions embedded in your portfolios still hold. #ClimateRisk #InfrastructureRisk #SystemicRisk 

#BackToTheField #FieldWorkDiaries Thrilled to be returning to what energizes me most - some people call it grassroots research and field work - I call it unfiltered gossip! Currently undertaking consultations with #women living near industrial areas in #Odisha, exploring critical intersections: #WomensWorkforce participation: Understanding employment patterns, educational pursuits, and skill development initiatives among women in industrial peripheries. #GenderedMobilityPatterns: Examining how women navigate their daily commutes and how factors like age, employment status, and family dynamics shape their movement patterns—bringing fresh perspectives to gendered mobility research. #TheCareEconomy: Investigating how unpaid care responsibilities impact women’s professional opportunities and personal well-being. #RestRecovery: A dimension we rarely discuss—how much time do women actually have for rest and sleep? These conversations remind me why fieldwork remains irreplaceable. Behind every statistic are real stories, complex trade-offs, and insights that can only emerge through genuine dialogue with communities. The women I’m speaking with are experts - from their own experiences, they offer such a clear understanding of how industrial development intersects with gender, mobility, and economic participation. Am excited to see how our team at Nikore Associates will translate these insights into research that centers lived experiences and contributes to more inclusive policy frameworks. #FieldResearch #WomenEconomicEmpowerment #GenderEconomics #Mobility #WomenAndWork #CareEconomy #Odisha #CommunityEngagement #PolicyResearch

As summer heatwaves intensify, so do the economic risks 🔥 Our latest analysis finds that the recent heatwave could cost Europe up to -0.5pp of GDP. Estimated losses range from -0.1pp in Germany to -1.4pp in Spain, with -0.6pp for the US and -1.0pp for China. The rising frequency of extreme weather isn’t just an environmental issue—it’s an economic one. To put this in perspective: one day of extreme heat (above 32°C) is roughly equivalent to half a day of strikes in terms of economic disruption. 📉 While heatwaves temporarily disrupt manufacturing and services, partial catch-up effects are likely as conditions normalize. However, losses in agriculture and infrastructure tend to be more persistent. 🔧 Adaptation is key In the short term, early warning systems and prevention measures can reduce impact. But these must be paired with longer-term structural solutions: • Urban greening to cool cities • Climate-proof infrastructure • Adjusted working hours and building standards #GDPImpact #ClimateAdaptation #Macroeconomy #UrbanGreening #ResiliencePlanning #ClimateRisk #Ludonomics #AllianzTrade #Allianz

History often changes quietly before it changes dramatically. One such transformation is unfolding across India’s electronics manufacturing sector, where women are emerging as a defining force behind industrial growth. From Bengaluru to Sriperumbudur, and from Krishnagiri to Noida, women are increasingly powering production lines, precision manufacturing, quality systems, and advanced industrial operations. This shift is not simply about employment; it is about the emergence of a new manufacturing workforce. The data tells a compelling story. Women represent 41% of Tamil Nadu’s direct electronics workforce, 66% of the workforce at Delta Electronics’ Krishnagiri facility, and nearly 80,000 women are employed across the Noida-Ghaziabad electronics manufacturing belt. These numbers signal a structural shift. Companies are investing in technical training, robotics, smart manufacturing, leadership development, safe accommodation, and workplace infrastructure. They are recognising that skilled women are not a peripheral workforce, but a competitive advantage. Every woman trained in advanced manufacturing strengthens India’s productive capacity. What is particularly significant is that many of these women are first-generation industrial workers. Their participation is expanding household incomes, creating new aspirations, and strengthening India’s manufacturing competitiveness. I have always believed that investing in women’s skills is not merely a social objective; it is one of the most powerful economic strategies available to any nation seeking sustainable growth. It is heartening to see that India’s next manufacturing milestone will be shaped by a workforce that is increasingly skilled, confident, and inclusive, with women being central to that journey. #WomenInManufacturing #SkillIndia

New Insights from Sri City Integrated Business City : Women’s Work, Well-being & What Comes Next A compelling study published in Economic and Political Weekly (Sept 20, 2025) by Santanu Pramanik , Shailja Tandon, and Sona Mitra offers a rare, data-driven look into the lives of 434 women employed in Sri City SEZ—one of India’s most dynamic industrial zones. What’s Working: • 95% of women report designated lunch breaks; 89% find workloads manageable. • 91% had privacy during menstruation; 86% had access to menstrual products. • 62% receive provident fund benefits; 55% have employer-provided health insurance. • 60% own smartphones—indicating rising digital inclusion. • 78% rate their work environment as good or very good; supervisor misconduct is rare. • Empowerment is growing: 64% jointly decide household finances; 52% feel confident about finding alternate jobs. What Needs Attention: • Only 15% have written contracts; just 46% get weekly paid leave. • Just 12% are in skilled roles—highlighting the need for targeted upskilling. • Career mobility remains limited; most earn ₹10–20K/month with few promotion pathways. • Structural barriers—especially caste and class—often outweigh gender disparities. • Time poverty and domestic burdens restrict leisure and autonomy. Why This Matters: Sri City is outperforming India’s informal sector on multiple metrics. But to truly empower women, we must go beyond compliance—towards career pathways, inclusive infrastructure, and skill development. Reimagine Industrial and business hubs as more than economic drivers—let them become catalysts for equity, dignity, and meaningful change. #SriCity #WomenInWorkforce #SEZIndia #InclusiveGrowth #GenderEquity #SkillIndia #EPW #PolicyInsights #SocialImpact #DevelopmentMatters

Two years ago this spring, flooding shut down Porto Alegre's airport for months. The first image is an award winning photo taken weeks after the flood. Swipe to the second image, that's what our model saw before it happened. Severe flooding submerged runways, halted cargo operations, stranded passengers, and canceled flights for months. The financial fallout was immediate: operational dysfunction, lost throughput, and long-term consequences for the airport's operators and the region's economy. But here's the thing, for complex assets like airports, risk doesn't show up in a single building. Runways, terminals, warehouses, parking areas, roads, and supporting systems all influence how disruption spreads and how long recovery takes. In Porto Alegre, the worst impacts centered on the runway and northern infrastructure, with additional exposure fanning out across the broader footprint. The business impacts were predictable. Extended downtime. Lower runway utilization. Reduced passenger volume. Mounting pressure on aviation and concession revenues, before you even factor in repair, insurance, and recovery costs. And this is part of a much larger trend. Industry research estimates the global economic burden from airport closures, cancellations, infrastructure damage, diversions, and cargo disruptions could reach $500 billion by 2050. Aon's latest Climate and Catastrophe Insight report reinforces the pattern: $260B in global economic losses in 2025, with wildfire and severe convective storms now exceeding their long-term averages. Climate risk just entered the top 10 global business risks for the first time. The protection gap remains massive in emerging markets. When climate risk hits critical infrastructure, the impact doesn't stay "physical" for long. It shows up in operations, in financial results, and in long-term capital planning. That's why asset-level visibility matters. The organizations that can identify vulnerabilities early and build resilience before the next event will be far better positioned than those scrambling to respond afterward. Here's my question for this network: For those of you managing real assets, airports, ports, utilities, data centers etc. how are you currently quantifying physical climate risk at the asset level? Or is it still a gap in your planning? Reach out if you are interested in discussing more.

Peter S. Goodman's recent article in The New York Times addresses the impacts of factory jobs on women in India, as more and more multinational brands seem to be shifting their manufacturing there, from China. The piece zeroes in on the personal story of Sarika Pawar who, after her husband’s death, joined a factory in Silvassa, thereby improving her and her daughter’s lives significantly. Peter S. Goodman underscores how these jobs offer economic independence and social mobility for women traditionally excluded from formal employment, and that, despite such tenacious challenges as gender discrimination and stubbornly low wages, the increasing presence of women in factories suggests a potential shift in India’s economic landscape. It seems that women have been kept out of India's formal workforce since nearly forever; yet recent shifts in manufacturing, prompted by geopolitical changes, are creating some new opportunities for female labor participation. WomenStrong International is proud of our India partner, @Society for Labor and Development (SLD), which helps train and empower women workers in the textile, tanning, seafood processing, and domestic work industries about their rights and the right to organize, in seven Indian states; it's tough work, but SLD's teams are deeply committed, and schooled not only in labor rights and protections, but also in the kinds of resistance large manufacturing firms are capable of mounting, even against the most vulnerable. But what would happen if multinationals themselves acted boldly and took a stand, by promoting gender equity across their manufacturing operations in India? Granted, doing so wouldn't immediately solve such challenges as the local working conditions, wages, and labor rights, and of course, factory managers may still be reluctant to hire women and remain biased against hiring married women. But it would mark an important milestone in brands' acknowledgement of women’s rights in the workplace; it might drive politicians and bureaucrats to rethink their own implicit biases and to partner with these companies, AND with grassroots non-profits such as SLD; and most importantly, it would heighten awareness of women's rights to safety and to equal treatment, and of the importance and advantages of gender parity -- not only in workforce participation and remuneration, but also in the very communities where women live, and in their personal lives. Ashmita Sharma Elena Arengo Judy Gearhart #genderjustice #genderparity #equalpay #safeatwork https://lnkd.in/eTxsvQ6N