• UGI USER
  • Dec 12, 2023
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INDIA-LED GLOBAL RIVER CITIES ALLIANCE LAUNCHED AT COP28

Why in the News?

Inspired by India’s River Cities Alliance, the GRCA debuted at the Indian Pavilion in Dubai during COP28.

Source: NIUA

GRCA Establishment:

  • Modeled after India’s River Cities Alliance formed by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) in November 2021.
  • NMCG and NIUA will serve as the GRCA Secretariat under the Ministry of Jal Shakti and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

Nine Participating Countries:

  • India, Denmark, Cambodia, Japan, Bhutan, Australia, Netherlands, Egypt, and Ghana are the founding members of GRCA.
  • Support from multilateral funding agencies like the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

Focus Areas:

  • Concentrates on capacity building and knowledge exchange for integrated river management to combat climate change impacts on ecosystems.
  • Key initiatives involve comprehensive water monitoring, sharing best practices for urban area renaturation, and restoring aquatic ecosystems for sustainable urban development.
  • Emphasis on restoring urban forests, lakes linked to rivers, and promoting green spaces.
  • Recognition of the role of floods in maintaining river ecosystem health, showing a commitment to proactive environmental stewardship and innovative river management.

River Cities Alliance:

  • Platform for Indian river cities to exchange ideas and information for sustainable urban river management.
  • Collaboration between the Jal Shakti Ministry and the Housing & Urban Affairs Ministry.
  • NIUA and NMCG jointly launched the initiative, with the Secretariat to be established at NIUA supported by NMCG.
  • Focus areas: Networking, Technical Support, and Capacity Building.