After six case studies of Asian megacities, three adaptation models stood out, each shaped by money, governance and how urgent the threat is. This piece pulls them together.
- Tokyo, the high-tech fortress. Huge engineering spend, from underground flood storage to AI-managed grids. Even so, ageing infrastructure and rising heat strain a system built for yesterday’s climate.
- Delhi, innovation by necessity. Low-cost fixes such as reflective roof paint, EV subsidies for rickshaw drivers and courts that push government to act.
- Jakarta, existential experiments. A city sinking about 25cm a year is building a sea wall and moving the capital to Borneo, while illegal wells keep pulling the ground down.
What they share
- Fragmented governance undermines action at every income level.
- Wealth decides who survives, whatever a city’s overall economy.
- Formal infrastructure alone is not enough. Community networks matter in all three.