System Dynamic Model for Urban Climate Resilience in Bhutan

Implementing Partner: Build Change

Project name:System Dynamic Model for Urban Climate Resilience in Bhutan

The project strengthens community resilience by training local volunteers, disaster management committees, and residents in cyclone preparedness.

Through hands-on workshops, it ensures grassroots participation in early warning dissemination and response strategies. This approach enhances coordination, improves risk awareness, and empowers local actors to take swift action during emergencies.

By fostering a well-informed and proactive network, the initiative significantly reduces vulnerabilities and enhances safety in cyclone-prone regions, ensuring sustained disaster preparedness efforts.

Annual losses from
floods in Bhutan
$ 0 mn
Of Bhutan’s GDP
lost due to disasters
0 %

Impact and Key Findings

1

Bhutan’s flood resilience has never been systematically assessed or strengthened. This project introduces the first structured framework to evaluate and enhance urban infrastructure resilience in Thimphu, addressing flood and climate-induced hazards through data-driven planning and adaptive strategies. 

2

Traditional resilience assessments often overlook local dynamics by relying on fixed indicators. The ResilUrban model addresses this gap by integrating diverse, evolving variables, offering a more realistic and adaptive framework to assess and enhance urban resilience effectively. 

3

By integrating social, economic, environmental, cultural, and policy dimensions, the ResilUrban model provides a holistic resilience assessment. This multidimensional framework enables more precise, adaptive strategies to fortify infrastructure, enhance community safety, and support sustainable urban development.

Resources

Aishwarya Pillai

Lead Specialist

Alpana heads institutional partnerships, governance, and resource mobilization at CDRI, advancing cross-sector collaborations that drive resilient infrastructure programming across Member Countries and organizations. With over 25 years of experience spanning international development, global health, and the non-profit sector, she brings deep expertise in fundraising strategy, donor engagement, and delivering strategic change. 

At CDRI, Alpana has been pivotal in forging strategic alliances with governments, international organizations, and philanthropies. She also plays a key role in fortifying institutional systems and board governance mechanisms as the Coalition transitions into an international organization. 

Before joining CDRI, Alpana held senior leadership roles at The George Institute for Global Health, Plan India, WaterAid India, and SOS Children’s Villages, leading institutional fundraising and cultivating strategic partnerships for social impact. 

She holds a Master’s in Finance & Control from Aligarh Muslim University and completed Executive Education at Harvard Business School (CSR India). Her work is driven by a commitment to building enduring, values-based partnerships that accelerate sustainable development outcomes. 

Alpana Saha

Director, Partnerships, Governance, and Resource Mobilisation 

Alpana heads institutional partnerships, governance, and resource mobilization at CDRI, advancing cross-sector collaborations that drive resilient infrastructure programming across Member Countries and organizations. With over 25 years of experience spanning international development, global health, and the non-profit sector, she brings deep expertise in fundraising strategy, donor engagement, and delivering strategic change. 

At CDRI, Alpana has been pivotal in forging strategic alliances with governments, international organizations, and philanthropies. She also plays a key role in fortifying institutional systems and board governance mechanisms as the Coalition transitions into an international organization. 

Before joining CDRI, Alpana held senior leadership roles at The George Institute for Global Health, Plan India, WaterAid India, and SOS Children’s Villages, leading institutional fundraising and cultivating strategic partnerships for social impact. 

She holds a Master’s in Finance & Control from Aligarh Muslim University and completed Executive Education at Harvard Business School (CSR India). Her work is driven by a commitment to building enduring, values-based partnerships that accelerate sustainable development outcomes.