This study critically examines the inextricable relationship between urban development and climate change through the lens of constitutive communication, positioning communication not merely as information exchange but as a process of meaning-making and action. Drawing on our research across Indian cities—particularly Bengaluru—it foregrounds lived experiences, local vocabularies, and everyday practices to reveal how climate vulnerability is produced, experienced, and negotiated within urban systems. By weaving together community narratives, historical enquiry, and visual methods, the work advances a localized, relational, and communicative approach to city-making that challenges technocratic, top-down planning and points toward more inclusive, context-responsive, and resilient urban futures.
