Context: A nine-country ‘Global River Cities Alliance’ (GRCA) inspired by India’s River Cities Alliance was launched at the Indian Pavilion, Dubai on the sidelines of the ongoing COP28 on Sunday.
Global River Cities Alliance (GRCA)
- The GRCA is modeled on the lines of India’s River Cities Alliance established by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the National Institute of Urban Affairs under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in November 2021.
- The National Mission for Clean Ganga, under the Jal Shakti ministry and Housing and Urban Affairs ministry’s National Institute for Urban Affairs (NIUA), will take on the role of the Secretariat of the GRCA.
- The nine nations are India, Denmark, Cambodia, Japan, Bhutan, Australia, Netherlands, Egypt, and Ghana.
- Multi-lateral funding agencies such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank have also pledged their support for the initiative.
Focus area of work
- It focuses on capacity building and knowledge exchange in integrated river management to address climate change impacts on the ecosystem.
- The collaboration includes a comprehensive water monitoring program, sharing best practices for renaturing urban areas, and restoring aquatic ecosystems for sustainable urban development.
- Initiatives extend to restoring urban forests and lakes connected to rivers, emphasizing the importance of green spaces.
- The proposed collaboration emphasizes collective action for safeguarding environmental flows and acknowledges the role of floods in maintaining river ecosystem health, showcasing a commitment to proactive environmental stewardship and innovative solutions for sustainable river management.
River city Alliance
- River Cities Alliance is a platform for river cities in India to ideate, discuss, and exchange information for the sustainable management of urban rivers.
- The Jal Shakti Ministry and Housing & Urban Affairs Ministry has partnered for the initiative.
- The National Institute for Urban Affairs (NIUA) and the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) have collaborated for launching the River Cities Alliance.
- The Secretariat of the River Cities Alliance will be set up at the National Institute for Urban Affairs (NIUA) with the support of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).
- The River Cities Alliance will focus on three themes: Networking, Technical Support, and Capacity Building.
Objectives
- The primary objective of the River Cities Alliance is to aid the participating cities with a platform for discussing and exchanging information on aspects that are vital for the sustainable management of urban rivers.
- These aspects include reducing impacts on river and water bodies, minimizing their water footprint, capitalizing on natural, intangible architectural heritage, and developing self-sufficient, self-sustainable water resources through the reuse & recycle strategy.
- The participating cities of the River Cities Alliance will work to adopt and localize national policies and instruments with key river-related directions, develop city-specific sectoral strategies for sustainable urban river management, and prepare their Urban River Management Plans.
Current Developments
- The River Cities Alliance currently has 142 river cities in India and serves as a dedicated platform for members to discuss aspects related to enhancing the state of urban rivers within their administrative boundaries.
- Recently, the National Mission for Clean Ganga signed a Memorandum of Common Purpose (MoCP) with the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI), representing 124 cities/towns situated along the banks of the Mississippi River, USA. on the sidelines of COP28.
- As part of the collaboration, a comprehensive water monitoring program, sharing best practices for renaturing urban areas, and restoring aquatic ecosystems for sustainable urban development initiatives will be discussed.