Gujarat CM Releases Climate Resilient City Action Plan for Rajkot

Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Vijaybhai Rupani released the “Climate Resilient City Action Plan (CRCAP), Rajkot,” prepared under the CapaCITIES project and supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). Rajkot has taken the lead in addressing climate change-related issues at the city level, through various scientific studies and analysis. Its CRCAP addresses both climate mitigation and adaptation issues, and has the potential to reduce a total of 263,823 tonnes of CO₂e GHG emissions by the year 2022-23. The Rajkot City Council adopted the CRCAP in February 2019, and has committed to reduce 14% of GHG emissions by 2022-23, as compared to the 2015-16 baseline of the city.

CDKN Asia Organises Country Engagement Workshops in Nepal, Bangladesh and India

ICLEI South Asia, the Asia Regional Coordinator for Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) programme, organised national-level engagement workshops in Nepal, Bangladesh and India. The workshops discussed CDKN’s activities in the three countries on the thematic priorities of the programme. They focused on identifying and addressing knowledge gaps at local, regional and national levels among various stakeholders, with the basic idea of identifying effective ways to disseminate knowledge on climate.

Delhi Puts Electric Vehicles on the Fast Track

In a push to zero-emission vehicles in the National Capital, the transport department has initiated its Electric Vehicle Policy to kick-start its transition towards achieving 25% electric mobility by 2023. After several consultations with experts and stakeholders, the policy has been modified to focus more on electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers to provide clean, affordable and accessible last-mile connectivity. ICLEI South Asia provides technical assistance to develop low-carbon and electric mobility strategies for improving public transport to the transport department of Delhi.

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Pilot Wards to Showcase Urban95’s ITCN
Initiatives in Udaipur

Two pilot wards in Udaipur will showcase infant, toddler, caregiver-friendly neighbourhood (ITCN) infrastructure (social and physical) and services in the city under the Urban95 Programme. ICLEI South Asia is the technical partner for the Udaipur Municipal Corporation and the Bernard van Leer Foundation in the Urban95 programme. The process of identifying the wards involved a three-tiered, data-based analytical assessment, based on socio-economic factors (such as income, assets and availability of social infrastructure like PHCs, anganwadis, playschools, gardens and parks), and physical factors such as whether they had developed organically or in a planned manner.

ALP Meeting Discusses Electric Mobility Policy Framework for Sri Lanka

Asia LEDS Partnership (ALP) organised the first consultation meeting in Colombo, to develop a framework for Sri Lanka’s Electric Mobility Policy under its ongoing SDC-funded project. The primary aim of the meeting was to understand the ongoing and future plans of the Government of Sri Lanka to promote electric mobility in the country. The ALP team discussed the emissions scenario in the transport sector at the global, regional and country levels, and the different commitments made at national levels to control emissions in various sectors. It also presented and discussed the current status of mobility and electric mobility in terms of modal split and travel pattern, along with the policies pertaining to/ promoting electric mobility in Sri Lanka.

Pangi Landscape Study: Surveys to Identify Drivers of Degradation

Participatory rural appraisals and household surveys are being conducted in villages in the Pangi landscape, Himachal Pradesh. Biodiversity surveys are also being held along with participatory resource mapping. This is part of a United Nations Development Programme-supported study to define the extent and intensity of habitat degradation in the alpine and sub-alpine areas in the SECURE Himalaya project landscapes of Himachal Pradesh. The study will also identify the drivers of degradation and prepare a study proposal for developing a model mitigation plan.

IAdapt Pilot Projects to Showcase Water Management Approaches in Solapur

Two pilot project interventions have been identified for Solapur district under the Integrated Rural Urban Water Management for Climate Based Adaptations in Indian Cities project, supported by the International Development Research Centre, Canada. A rainwater harvesting pilot will be implemented in Solapur city, and a constructed wetland for wastewater treatment pilot will be implemented in Tale Hipparga village, among other plans.

Solar World Congress 2019

The International Solar Energy Society (ISES) Solar World Congress (SWC) 2019 -- Innovation in Transforming Energy Systems and Markets to 100% Renewable Energy will take place from the 4^th to the 7^th of November, 2019 in Santiago, Chile. The Solar Energy Research Centre, Chile, is the official host partner for the SWC 2019. This event will reinforce a long tradition of connecting the research and academic community with decision makers from different government sectors, industry, financiers and practitioners.

9^th European Conference on Sustainable Cities and Towns

Hosted by the City of Mannheim, Germany, and ICLEI Europe, the European Conference on Sustainable Cities and Towns will open its doors for the ninth time from the 30^th of September to the 2^nd of October, 2020. The conference will underscore the urgent need for local governments to assume responsibility for urban transformation and lead the way in guiding Europe towards a secure and sustainable future.