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The city expansion with increase in population has increased the challenges of urbanisation and environmental sustainability globally. The fragmented, altered and degraded ecosystem has increased the environmental risks. In order to achieve sustainability, various initiative at global and national level are taken. Forests being one component of green spaces and major source of carbon sink, helps in combating the effects of climate change. With overview of environmental degradation in India, the challenges in managing and protecting forests and biodiversity are found at level of planning and governance. Since, forests and biodiversity link the ecosystem at larger scale, the study has been conducted at regional level of Delhi NCR. To attain the objective of ecological resilience in Delhi NCR, the risk assessment through hazard mapping, assessing vulnerability and institutional capacity of Delhi NCT, Gurgaon, Faridabad and Mangar Bani has been done. The pandemic Covid-19 has limited the analysis and recommendations on the basis of secondary literature. The land use land cover change through GIS mapping in Delhi NCT, Gurgaon and Faridabad has increased the potential of existing hazards leading to social, economic and environmental loss. Along with the inadequacy of essential services, the susceptibility of vulnerable areas around Mangar Bani has also increased. The policy based recommendations include conservation and protection of forests and biodiversity, water bodies and enhancing ecological resilience through integrated local and regional planning, governance and involvement of local community in decision making process. Similar case studies within Delhi NCR can certainly help in identifying and addressing the environmental risks to safeguard the cityregions with future unknowing disasters.
Key Words: Environmental Degradation, Delhi NCR, GIS Mapping, Risk Assessment, Ecological Resilience
