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Cities / Colombo

Colombo

Sri Lanka

Colombo is projected to confront several significant climate hazards. The city is expected to experience frequent heatwaves, increasing health risks, while heavy rainfall events and prolonged heavy precipitation may trigger flooding and infrastructure issues. Concurrently, prolonged drought conditions threaten water supply and agriculture. Additionally, the risk of arbovirus transmission is anticipated to rise, potentially leading to outbreaks of diseases such as dengue, compounded by an elevated malaria risk. These interconnected climate challenges highlight Colombo's vulnerabilities, indicating an urgent need for adaptive measures to safeguard public health and urban resilience against future climate impacts.

Hazard Outlook

How will Colombo's projected climate hazards compare to other cities under a 3.0°C future warming scenario?

Longest Heatwave

86th percentile High exposure

Colombo may experience heatwaves lasting up to 7 days, among the highest of all other cities.

Colombo
0.0 Shorter → Longer 92

Maximum Rainfall

76th percentile High exposure

Colombo's projected maximum rainfall of 14 mm is among the highest of all cities globally.

Colombo
0.0 Lower → Higher 35

Heavy Rainfall Days

63rd percentile Elevated exposure

With 11 days of heavy rainfall expected, Colombo ranks higher than most cities for extreme precipitation events.

Colombo
0.0 Fewer → More 36

Elevation

29th percentile Elevated exposure

At 28 m elevation, Colombo faces elevated risk from coastal flooding and sea level rise.

Colombo
-8.0 Lower → Higher 4k

Maximum Temperature

18th percentile Lower exposure

Colombo's projected maximum temperature of 8.2°C is lower than most cities globally under a 3.0°C warming scenario.

Colombo
5.0 Cooler → Hotter 13

Exposure Summary

Heatwave
Max Rain
Heavy Rain
Elevation
Max Temp

Adaptation Priorities

Colombo faces high exposure to heatwave, max rain and elevated exposure to heavy rain, elevation. These areas may warrant priority attention in adaptation planning.

Data source: Climate projections from the IPCC AR6 scenario analysis. See our methodology for details on how we process and interpret this data.

Deployed Solutions

Deployed climate adaptation technologies identified in Colombo.

No solutions have been documented for Colombo.

This is an archived snapshot of the database.

Recommended Solutions

Proven solutions from similar cities that could help diversify Colombo's resilience portfolio

Community-Led Participatory Flood Risk Mapping Using Open-Source Tools
81%
From: Lagos

Community-led resources mapping represents an effective and replicable model for Lagos to strengthen preparation against flood management challenges.
Lagos State Emergency Command and Control Centre
81%
From: Lagos

Lagos State has developed a comprehensive emergency management platform centered on the Lagos State Command and Control Centre (LSCCC), which has served as the central hub for coordinating emergency services including LASEMA, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, LASTMA, LASAMBUS, and the Rapid Response Squad since its inception in 2010.
Integrated Hydro-Meteorological Warning System
68%
From: Da Nang

The Integrated Hydro-Meteorological Warning System (IHWS) was implemented in Central Vietnam, specifically in Da Nang City and Quang Nam Province, serving a population of 1,300,000 inhabitants in areas particularly vulnerable to natural disasters.
Visual Climate Adaptation Platform for Cyclone Risk Assessment
68%
From: Da Nang

CSIRO Australia conducted a demonstration study of the Visual Climate Adaptation Platform (VCAP) in Da Nang, a GIS-based platform enabling users to assess impact, costs and benefits of adaptation options for housing or infrastructure subjected to natural hazards.
Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS)
71%
From: Bengaluru

Bengaluru plans to procure 13 new Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) and transition existing manual stations to CAAQMS systems by 2035.
GIS-Enabled Emergency Information Sharing Platform
74%
From: Hong Kong

The Common Operational Picture is a GIS-enabled electronic platform that enhances emergency information sharing and support mechanisms for dealing with multiple hazards in Hong Kong.
Aquifer Mapping Integration for Groundwater Governance
75%
From: Pune

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is integrating comprehensive aquifer mapping into its enterprise Geographic Information System (GIS) to enable scientific groundwater management and transparent resource governance.
Floating Solar Photovoltaic Systems on Reservoirs
74%
From: Hong Kong

The Water Supplies Department (WSD) has pioneered floating photovoltaic (FPV) technology on Hong Kong's reservoirs, beginning with two 100 kW pilot systems installed at Shek Pik Reservoir and Plover Cove Reservoir in 2017.
Smart Water Metering and Automatic Meter Reading System
74%
From: Hong Kong

The Water Supplies Department is promoting wider use of smart water meters and Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) System, planned to work in conjunction with the Water Intelligent Network (WIN) to help identify problems.
Smart Water Meter System with AI-Powered Consumption Analytics
74%
From: Hong Kong

The Water Supplies Department is exploring the use of Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) coupled with mobile applications to enhance consumers' awareness of their water consumption on a timely basis, thereby facilitating behavioural changes to save water.