Ahmedabad Is No. 1. But This Is Not a Ranking We Want.

If you live in Ahmedabad, you already know what climate stress feels like. It is the heat radiating from the road in May, looking for the shaded side of the street, or waiting for the first proper rain after weeks of dry heat.

A recent AlphaGeo study looked at 72 major cities and measured not only the climate hazards they face, but also how prepared they are to deal with them. Ahmedabad received a Resilience-Adjusted Risk score of 41 - the joint-highest in the study.

That sounds alarming, but it helps to understand what the score actually means. Think of it this way: Climate Risk − Preparedness = Risk That Remains

A city can face heat, drought, flooding and other climate pressures, but good planning, infrastructure, early-warning systems and adaptation measures can reduce their impact.
Ahmedabad has already done important work, especially around heat preparedness. But this ranking suggests that a significant amount of risk still remains.

That is worth thinking about.

As the city grows, how much shade are we losing? How much more concrete are we adding? Are our green spaces helping with heat, water and biodiversity, or are they simply decorative?

The ranking is not a prediction of Ahmedabad’s future. It is a reminder that resilience has to keep pace with growth. So instead of only asking why Ahmedabad ranks so high, perhaps the more useful question is: What would it take for us not to?

Part of that answer may begin with understanding the city’s ecology better - its trees, soil, water, biodiversity and the landscapes we are changing every day.