The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, also known as UN-Habitat, has recently identified various issues concerning the city of Jaipur. These issues include multi-hazard vulnerabilities, diminished mobility, and shortcomings in the Green-Blue economy. Resultantly, they have proposed a plan to enhance the city’s sustainability. These urban issues are not unique to Jaipur; they are reflective of the problems faced by many cities. This article will explore these findings, recommendations, and provide an overview of UN-Habitat and the Global Environmental Facility.
UN-Hybrid Findings on Jaipur City
UN-Habitat used its Sustainable Cities Integrated Approach Pilot project as a basis for identifying the issues plaguing Jaipur city. The project was implemented in partnership with the Jaipur Development Authority and the Jaipur Greater Municipal Corporation and received funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF-6) to gauge the carbon sequestration potential of Indian cities.
Using the Urban Sustainability Assessment Framework (USAF), developed under the Sustainable Cities Integrated Approach Pilot (SCIAP) project, Jaipur scored a three out of five sustainability rating. Data was collected for 87 out of its 131 parameters.
Several key issues were highlighted by UN-Habitat, such as inadequate access to public transportation, frequent droughts during summer, urban floods, and a lack of green cover leading to the urban heat island effect disrupting biodiversity.
Recommendations for Jaipur City
To address these issues, experts suggested increasing the green cover to boost urban biodiversity and improve citizens’ quality of life. To counteract urban sprawl, UN-Habitat advocated for a compact city model, favoring redevelopment and densification of existing urban areas.
They suggested implementing fare integration across transport modes and enhancing the non-motorized transport infrastructure to better public transportation. Additionally, they advised using Jaipur’s 800 dry wells for rainwater harvesting to mitigate urban floods and effectively utilize water resources. Moreover, introducing eco-trails with plantations along natural drainage channels and railway tracks was recommended.
About UN-Habitat
Established in 1978, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme is a United Nations programme aimed at promoting sustainable urban development and human settlements. Based in Nairobi, Kenya, UN-Habitat has received its mandate from the United Nations General Assembly to promote sustainable towns and cities providing an adequate shelter for all. It is a part of the United Nations Development Group.
About Global Environmental Facility (GEF)
The Global Environmental Facility (GEF) is an independent financial organization that provides grants to developing countries for projects which benefit the global environment and support sustainable livelihoods in local communities. Established as a World Bank fund in 1991, GEF was restructured and moved out of the World Bank in 1992. As of now, the World Bank serves as the Trustee of the GEF Trust Fund and provides administrative services.
It addresses six focal areas: Biodiversity, Climate change, International waters, Ozone depletion, Land degradation, and Persistent Organic Pollutants. Currently, it supports an active portfolio of over 200 investments globally.
Future Considerations
As per the Census of 2011, approximately 31% of India’s population resides in cities, contributing over 60% to national GDP. Various reports suggest that in the coming years, around 70% of the population will live in urban areas, contributing more significantly to GDP. However, this growth brings challenges like congested space and slum proliferation, suggesting a need for sustainable urban development models.