India and France have recently formalized an agreement to implement the MOBILISE YOUR CITY (MYC) initiative. Supported by the French and German Governments, MYC was introduced at the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) meeting in 2015. This initiative aims to aid three pilot cities – Nagpur, Kochi and Ahmedabad – in reducing their greenhouse gas emissions related to urban transportation. Alongside local efforts, this will also support India on a national level in refining their sustainable transport policy.
Key Components of Assistance
The assistance proposed under this agreement comprises of several fundamental elements. Primarily, support will be provided for planning and implementing sustainable urban transport projects. Additionally, support will be extended towards strengthening institutional capacity for regulating, steering and planning urban mobility. Lastly, learning and exchange formats will be facilitated with other cities across India for sharing best practices.
MOBILISE YOUR CITY Partnership
The MYC Partnership is a global, inclusive network of cities and countries including an umbrella brand of European development cooperation especially associated with sustainable urban transport. Contributing to the international climate process and UN’s Agenda 2030, it aligns specifically with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11: Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
Additional Motivations for Action
There are other compelling reasons to adopt this initiative. Improved air quality could decrease the current rate of 1 million premature deaths occurring annually in urban areas around the world. The initiative could reduce the burden of traffic congestion and road fatalities, which claim 1.24 million lives worldwide per year. The promotion of public transport and non-motorized transport can facilitate more inclusive, livable cities and potentially save US$ 100 trillion globally between now and 2050. It could also cut emissions by 40% in 2050. Lastly, comprehensive mobility planning under MYC aids in optimizing the use of capital in relevant projects and bolsters economic competitiveness by improving logistics and access to jobs, basic services, education, etc.
21st Conference of Parties (COP21)
Known as the Paris Agreement, COP21 was a landmark event in global climate response. This annual meeting aimed to augment the global response to climate change by maintaining global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Notably, the International Solar Alliance (ISA), an Indian initiative, was also launched alongside France at this conference.
