Nagpur: India, France and the European Union have come together as part of a global sustainable development project, which will work at transforming three major Indian cities by improving urban mobility and cutting down carbon footprint.
France and the European Union will collaborate with India as part of a global sustainable development project, which will work at transforming three major Indian cities by improving urban mobility and cutting down carbon footprint.
Nagpur is the first city selected, then follow Kochi and Ahmedabad.
India’s Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) and French Development Agency (AFD), on Friday, signed a Grant Facility Agreement of 3.5 million euros, to be financed by the European Union under its Asia Investment Facility (AIF), for implementing the ‘MobiliseYourCity’ initiative.
The MobiliseYourCity initiative
MobiliseYourCity (MYC) is part of an international initiative supported by the French and the German governments. It was launched at Paris’ 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) in December 2015.
French Development Agency’s Director in India said that the project aims at improving comprehensive mobility plans; adopting a measure-report-verify methodology to follow up on the multiple benefits for the three cities.
More about the initiative:
1. The project seeks to back 100 cities worldwide in three years, which are engaged in sustainable urban mobility planning to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
2. India is one of the very first countries to benefit from this initiative.
3. Kochi, Nagpur and Ahmadabad are the cities that stayed in race to be a smart city and get mobilized by earning the grant under the Paris climate agreement.
4. The initiative got highlighted by the Indian and European ministers after Prime Minister’s recent visit to Europe.
5. MYC is also considering expanding itself globally to help as many cities across the world so they can restrict the emissions of greenhouse gas and can promote sustainability.
6. The European Union has confirmed that if the initiative requires more fund, they will help in taking the programme forward by proving loan to make it successful.
It can be mentioned here that the AFD (Agence Francaise du Development), French Development Agency is already involved in Nagpur by being the biggest agency financing Nagpur’s Metro project.
“I am thrilled that India is one of the very first countries to benefit from the MYC initiative. France and India share a vibrant commitment to fight against climate change, and the implementation of Paris Agreement, as it was strongly reaffirmed by President Macron and Prime Minister Modi during their meeting in Paris on June 3,” Thuaudet said.
AFD’s Country Director in India, Nicolas Fornage said the “outcome and efficacy” of the project would be monitored “over a period of three years.”
