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CITy IMAGE Solar on wheelS: Squad launcheS “world’S firSt Solar city car”

A NETHERLANDS BASED company named Squad Mobility has launched “the world’s first solar city car” with a capacity of two passengers with luggage. The mini four-wheeler is 2 meter long, 1.2 meter wide, with a height of 1.6 meters. The solar car is also a light electric vehicle which needs just a moped license to be able to drive it. Packed with two 2 Kw rear in-wheel motors and four 1.6 kWh batteries, the car offers a range of almost 100 km on one charge. It has solar panels installed at its roof that can add up to 20 km of range per day.

NEWSCAN 5 states yet to reach ‘replacement rate’: NFHS-5

NEW DELHI: The National Family Health Survey - 5 (NFHS-5) showed that there are five states in India, namely Bihar, Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Manipur, which are yet to achieve the population replacement rate. The fifth round of the National Family Health Survey was conducted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, in 20182019. The NFHS-5 covers 67 indicators to collect information regarding fertility, family planning, nutrition, Anaemia, maternal and child health, reproductive health, and infant and child mortality.

According to the data published in NFHS-5, five states of India are yet to achieve the replacement rate fertility or Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.1. These states are Bihar (2.98), Meghalaya (2.91), Uttar Pradesh (2.35), Jharkhand (2.26) and Manipur (2.17). The average TFR of the country has come down to 2 in NFHS-5 (2018-19), from 2.2 during NFHS-4 (2015-16). In 1992-93, the TFR among women of the rural region was 3.7 and in urban region, it was 2.7, which came down to 2.7 and 1.6 respectively in 2018-19. Additionally, the survey reports that the TFR among women who have received at least 12 years of school education stands at 1.8, while among those without the school education, TFR is at 2.8.

Next census will be a digital one: Amit Shah

DISPUR: Amit Shah, Minister of Home Affairs, Government of India, during his visit to Assam, announced that the upcoming census is to be done in digital mode. Shah announced that the census which was due in 2021, is to be done in digital mode, where nearly 50 per cent of the total population will be able to feed their data using their mobile phones. This will not only enhance the timely delivery of the services but will ensure the accuracy of data as well. Additionally, the Government of India is planning to link the birth and death registers to the census, which means that the uploaded data could be updated with every birth and death. Shah also participated in the Bhumi Pujan ceremony held at the Border Security Force’s (BSF) Central Workshop and Store in the Tamulpur district of Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC). He launched Khadi products in the canteens of the paramilitary forces and awarded the President’s colours to the police force of Assam. “The next census which has been delayed because of the COVID-19 will be an e-census…a hundred per cent perfect census, on the basis of which the country’s roadmap for the next 25 years will be built,” he said. UP to receive `494 crore

for urban infrastructure

The Urban Development Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh has decided to disburse `494 crore to cities with less than 10 lakh population for carrying out development work. According to officials, `244.5 crore will be provided to 200 municipal councils and `143.5 crore to 517 town councils in the state. `98 crore will be disbursed to 10 municipal corporations and Rs 8 crore to 13 Cantonment Boards. While tied grants are used only for strengthening basic services like water supply, sanitation, and rainwater harvesting, the untied grants are used to empower local governance and provide better services to the citizens.

Center grants `5,128 cr to Gujarat under Amrut 2.0

The Government of India has sanctioned `5128 crore to the Government of Gujarat in order to upgrade water supply facilities and underground drainage systems in the state under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT 2.0). A total of 412 works will be completed under the scheme, which will be executed by the Gujarat Urban Development Mission (GUDM). The scope of the project includes 206 water supply works to eight municipal corporations and 156 municipalities and 70 underground sewerage projects. It also includes beautification of 68 lakes and upgradation of another 68 parks. Technical approval from Urban Development Department is still pending.

Integrated approach essential to address multiple inequalities in cities: Report

NEW DELHI: The United Nations General Assembly met to examine the progress attained towards implementing a 2016 framework on sustainable urbanisation. The New Urban Agenda was adopted by nations just a year after an agreement was made for Sustainable Development Goals.

In his opening remarks, Abdulla Shahid, President, General Assembly, talked about how sustainable urbanisation can drive change across a variety of interconnected issues of the world, including poverty eradication, climate action, migration, land degradation, economic prosperity, and creation of peaceful societies. He said that despite its far-ranging implications, the New Urban Agenda has often been under-appreciated.

Shahid noted that while sustainable urbanisation is related to the achievement of all the SDGs, only a few countries at present can truly claim that they have in place the governance, and the necessary policies, including an inclusive urban planning, capacity development, technology access, and financing necessary to ensure sustainable urbanisation. He added that there is a need to change this trend.

The Assembly meet brought together government representatives, city mayors, business leaders, youth and other constituencies. The meet-up included publication of the latest UN Secretary-General’s report on progress made in the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, five regional forums on sustainable development, and a special meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

Highlights

The report was written in collaboration with more than 40 partners and is divided into seven sections. It was created in light of rapid urbanisation, threats to global planetary ecosystems, and the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the opportunities that cities can provide to ground pandemic recovery in social justice, fulfill the Decade of Action, and ensure effective climate action.

Housing

According to the report, about 70 per cent of households worldwide live in unstable housing, with the housing shortage expected to reach 440 million by 2025. While the number of urban residents living in slums decreased globally between 2000 and 2014, the trend had reversed by 2014, and the pandemic is believed to have exacerbated the situation. Many cities have implemented slum improvement initiatives and housing programmes that target the homeless, women, migrants, and persons with impairments, according to the report. It was noted that, in addition to cities such as Barcelona, Bogotá, Bristol, Guangzhou, and Rio de Janeiro, other Finnish cities have improved service and housing provision. Monrovia has put in place its first urban development policy to deal with informal settlements. Cities such as Barcelona,

Bratislava, Los Angeles, Kyiv, Madrid, San Francisco, and São Paulo have also engaged in programmes to help at-risk homeless people.

Migration

According to the paper, global migration to urban areas is increasing, rising from fewer than 180 million in 2000, to more than 270 million by 2020. It noted that in cities around the world, inclusive solutions to the needs of migrants, refugees, and displaced persons, particularly women and girls, remain restricted. However, in Barcelona, Colombia, Guatemala City, So Paulo, Seychelles, and Turkey, plans for migrant integration are being developed in collaboration with the UN system agencies.

Employment

The Assembly referenced International Labour Organisation (ILO) forecasts claiming that global hours worked in 2021, would be 4.5 per cent lower than pre-pandemic levels, resulting in the loss of 131 million full-time employment, with job loss rates for women being significantly greater than for males. While working hours in high- and upper-middle-income nations tended to rebound in 2021, working hours in lower-middle and low-income countries decreased. It discussed how cities in Botswana, Colombia, Cuba, Finland, and Turkey have supported employment by focusing on job training for urban youth, as well as how Egypt’s Upper-Egypt Local Development Programme has reduced urban poverty by creating jobs and using a budgeting formula to allocate central government funds to local governments.

Urban ecosystem

Sustainable urban development has shown to be an important naturebased option, according to the research. Countries are making headway in reversing biodiversity loss locally by regulating land conversion, preventing urban expansion, restoring urban ecosystems, and greening food systems. It used the Cheonggyecheon Stream Restoration Project in Seoul as an example, which turned a freeway overpass into a park.

Governance

Despite progress toward the New Urban Agenda’s principles, many urban areas suffer from insufficient multilevel governance, unclear responsibilities between different spheres of government, weak cooperative mechanisms, and limited participation of local governments in national coordination mechanisms, according to the report. The European Union’s Urban Agenda (Amsterdam Treaty) encourages multilevel governance cooperation on urban issues among member states, cities, the European Commission, and other stakeholders. It also mentioned how multilevel governance methods have been established by the Council of Australian Governments, the Local Government Commission of New Zealand, the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines, and the Union of Municipalities of Turkey.

Urban financing

More nuanced methods to fiscal decentralisation, as well as the ability of local governments to mobilise endogenous resources, are required for effective urban financing. According to the research, Kampala increased revenue collection from $1 million in 2010 to $25 million in 2019, through digitising, educating taxpayers, training revenue collectors, performing revenue audits, and allowing taxpayers to pay in instalments. It also cited the example of Jharkhand in India, where a public-private partnership has established tax collecting agents and project management units in 41 cities, successfully increasing municipal government revenue.

Technology in governance

Many countries in the AsiaPacific region are at the forefront of developing digital platforms, according to the report. Since 2019, a Group of 20 Global Smart Cities Alliance has been aiding cities in establishing technology governance policies, including model policies on universal access to information and communications technology, in order to help local governments, meet higher procurement requirements. While community-led data innovations have been well received, the integration of citizen-generated data into policy and planning is yet to be achieved, according to the report.

City Diplomacy

According to a global assessment of 47 cities, city diplomacy is becoming more widespread, yet it generally lacks official strategy, training, and money. Cities such as Buenos Aires, Madrid, Moscow, New York, and Shanghai, as well as Helsinki, which, along with other Finnish cities, provided content for the development of global guidance on localising the Sustainable Development Goals, have strengthened their international institutional arrangements and processes by providing them with resources and technical expertise.

Recommendations

The report urged governments and all municipal and non-state actors to use the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic to refocus and accelerate the New Urban Agenda’s implementation. Cities have been in the vanguard of the response and will lead the recovery, according to the report. It urged member states to make better use of the New Urban Agenda to bolster efforts to conserve our planet’s ecosystems.

Countries can accelerate climate action, safeguard biodiversity, and decrease pollution by pursuing transformative commitments and implementing critical drivers, according to the report. The SecretaryGeneral advised that cities integrate housing and related basic services with health, income, education, and access to basic services as five aspects of the social compact, based on the results of the research. According to the research, addressing multiple types of inequality and reducing poverty will require an integrated approach.

NEWSCAN One in every six deaths worldwide due to pollution: Review

NEW DELHI: A review titled ‘Pollution and Health: A Progress Update’ was published by the Lancet Planetary Health. The Report found that pollution was responsible for 9 million deaths in 2015, making it the world’s largest environmental risk factor for disease and premature death. The review updated this estimate using data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019, and established that pollution remains responsible for approximately 9 million deaths per year – one in every six deaths worldwide.

The review stated that there have been reductions in the number of deaths attributed to the types of pollution associated with extreme poverty. However, these reductions in deaths from household air pollution and water pollution are offset by increased deaths attributed to ambient air pollution and toxic chemical pollution. According to the review, deaths from such modern pollution risk factors, which are the consequence of industrialisation and urbanisation have risen by 7 per cent since 2015, and by over 66 per cent since 2000. It said that little real progress against pollution can be identified overall, despite the ongoing efforts by UN agencies, committed groups, committed individuals, and national governments. The condition is direr in the low and middle income countries, where pollution is severe and more than 90 per cent of the pollution related deaths occur there.

Air pollution, both household and ambient, remains responsible for the greatest number of deaths, quoted the review. It caused around 6.7 million deaths in 2019. Water pollution caused 1.4 million premature deaths and lead pollution was responsible for 900,000 premature deaths in 2019. Toxic occupational hazards, excluding workplace fatalities due to safety hazards were found responsible for 870,000 deaths. The paper noted that the total effects of pollution on health would be larger if more comprehensive health data could be generated and if all pathways for chemicals in the environment were identified and analysed. According to GBD 2019 data referred in the paper, effect of pollution on disease and disability varies by sex. Men, on the one hand are more likely to die from exposure to ambient air pollution, lead pollution, and occupational pollutants, whereas women and children on the other hand, are more likely to die from exposure to water pollution.

The paper said that pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss are closely linked and that successful control of these conjoined threats will require a globally supported, formal science–policy interface to inform intervention, influence research, and guide funding. Pollution has been typically viewed as a local issue. The review argued that however, it is increasingly visible now that pollution is a planetary threat, and that its drivers, its dispersion, and its effects on health transcend local boundaries and demand a global response. It suggested a massive rapid transition to wind and solar energy to reduce ambient air pollution and to slow the progress of climate change.

The review asked international organisations to establish a Science Policy Interface (SPI) for pollution, which could be similar to those made for climate change and biodiversity. It recommended that private and government donors allocate funding for pollution management to support Health and Pollution Action Plan (HPAP) prioritisation process, monitoring, and programme implementation.

‘Bicycle mayor’ of Guwahati awarded

During 4th edition of the Unsung Heroes Red Carpet Awards, held at Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), Mayor of Guwahati Arsheel Akhtar was awarded in the social category for the promotion of cycling in the region. Akhtar was awarded for the promotion of cycling and his efforts for social mobility through his organisation ‘Pedal for Change’ and ‘Green and Active Mobility’, during the award ceremony held in Mumbai. A total of 35 awards were presented in the event, 25 for unsung heroes and 10 in the social category.

Rajasthan to come up with mining regulations

To safeguard the environment, generate revenue, and create jobs, the Government of Rajasthan plans to develop precise guidelines on mining activities in forest regions. Inter-departmental cooperation among the Forest Department, Department of Mines and Geology, and Directorate of Petroleum is currently underway. Usha Sharma, Chief Secretary, Government of Rajasthan, said that these rules for granting approval for mining activities on forest land would benefit forest conservation and ecosystem protection. Mining leases are a significant source of revenue for the state government. Speaking at a meeting of the Group of Secretaries on InterDepartmental Issues, Sharma said that all issues will be resolved quickly in order to support the rapid development.

NEWSCAN

PMC launches robots to replace manual scavenging

PUNE: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has introduced three advanced robots to clean and maintain manholes in the city safely without having workers entering them. The initiative has been launched to bring more safety to the maintenance of city manholes. Vikram Kumar, Commissioner, PMC, launched the robots at the PMC office.

Conventional maintenance of such manholes include manual scavenging, which requires humans to enter manholes and clean them physically. This practice has claimed the lives of many workers across the nation. To address this issue, the PMC has introduced robots named ‘Bandicoot’ to clean the sewers of the city. The Bandicoot robot is the world’s first sewer cleaning robot developed under the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Swachh Bharat’ initiatives. It has been developed by a National Award-winning start-up – Genrobotics. Under this initiative, sanitation workers will be employed as robot operators after receiving training and rehabilitation programmes. The user interface of the Bandicoot Robot is interactive and user friendly. It would also offer a dignified work profile to these workers.

The Bandicoot robot is equipped with a human comparable robotic arm and various sensors that would enable the robot to perform the cleaning action more efficiently.

NEW DELHI: Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India launched the Bharat Tap initiative at the Plumbex India Exhibition. The exhibition was aimed at products and services related to plumbing, water and sanitation industry. He also launched NAREDCO MAHI’s ‘Nirmal Jal Prayas’ which will work to save 500 crore litres of water per year.

Puri said that the exhibition caters to a fundamental service – water and sanitation – in the development of the country. He added that there was a paradigm shift in India’s social development after the announcement of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi also conceptualised the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Transformation (AMRUT) for safe water and sewerage system in urban regions.

Puri also said that AMRUT 2.0 will provide 100 per cent coverage of water supply to all the households in and around 4700 ULBs through 2.68 crore water connections, and 100 per cent sewerage connections in 500 cities through 2.64 crore sewer connections. Plumbing industry is capitalising on the business opportunity and is playing a significant role in the development of sanitation and other basic services in the country. Bharat Tap initiative will provide low-flow sanitary ware at scale to reduce the water consumption at source.

MoHUA launches ‘Bharat Tap’ at Plumbex India Exhibition

EVENT World Urban Forum: Facilitating cities for Just, Equitable, Sustainable Urban Future

The World Urban Forum (WUF) is a premier global conference on sustainable urbanisation which is all set to be held from June 26-30, 2022, in Katowice, Poland. This will be the first time when the conference, convened by the United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat), will be held in Eastern Europe. The theme of 11th WUF is ‘Transforming our Cities for a Better Urban Future’. The event will provide great insights and clarity on the future of cities based on existing trends, challenges, opportunities, and suggest ways by which cities can be better prepared to address future pandemics

The COVID-19 will feature prominently at WUF11 as it has provided a rare inflection point; an opportunity to look back, correct mistakes of the past and transform cities globally for resilience, inclusion, equity, green and economic sustainability. The pandemic has not only laid bare major challenges facing our cities, it has also added a sense of urgency for a radical shift from unsustainable practices if the vision of a better urban future is to be realised. Hence, building economic, social and environmental resilience, including appropriate governance and institutional structures must be at the heart of the future of cities. WUF has become the foremost international gathering for exchanging views and experiences on sustainable urbanisation in all its ramifications. The WUF11 will hold comprehensive dialogue on following issues of urban importance:

Urban Crisis and Urban Recovery

The Dialogue will explore how national and local governments can better prepare and respond to urban crises and use the recovery to accelerate progress to a more green, healthy and just cities. The complexity of crises in urban areas requires a much more detailed and granular understanding of its impact to allow for an effective response. The role of local governments, as front-line responders, is often overlooked. The same goes for their local knowledge of urban systems and communities, their capacity to mobilise local actors and their central role in shaping a better urban future, pushing innovation. Taking into account the central role of cities in national economies, including in supporting rural economies, through the urban-rural linkages, there is a strong need to ensure the full integration of urban recovery into national strategies and the international instruments that support them. Over the last decade, important new practices and approaches have emerged in dealing with the variety of crises facing cities. Important lessons learnt can be drawn and new global instruments can be shaped. In a few areas, more needs to be done.

Equitable Urban Futures

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated poverty and deepened existing inequalities across the urbanrural continuum. It has laid bare the fault lines pervasive in many urban areas. Economic and social consequences of the pandemic had a disproportionate impact on vulnerable low-income households, including informal sector workers, women and girls, migrants, internally displaced persons, indigenous peoples, persons with disability, older people and the poor. Urban Equity continues to be a central theme in major urban fora, implying that inequality is still growing, and a lot still needs to be done. This Dialogue will explore how cities can address the challenges of inequality and poverty as well as strengthen social cohesion so that a prosperous, inclusive and equitable future can be realised for all.

Building Resilience for Sustainable Urban Future

The COVID-19 pandemic provides cities with the much-needed opportunity to refocus and build up resilience against unexpected shocks, especially for those in vulnerable situations. Resilient cities are those, which are able to absorb, adapt, transform and prepare for past and future shocks and stresses in order to ensure sustainable development, well-being and inclusive growth. This Dialogue will explore how urban resilience can be built across various dimensions— economic, social and environmental, including appropriate governance and institutional structures drawing on the lessons and experience of the COVID-19 pandemic, which provides an opportunity to transform our cities and town for a better urban future.

Future Urban Economy and Finance

Due to COVID-19, cities have experienced a decline in economic output, a drop in employment, a shrinking fiscal space, and growing

UN-Habitat is committed to bringing all stakeholders together in a concerted effort to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. The inclusive nature of the forum, combined with the high-level participation, makes it a unique United Nations conference on urban issues. WUF11 arrives at a critical moment. The world is facing multiple crises which are intensifying the rate of urbanization. With an estimated 70 percent of the global population expected to be living in cities by 2050, we need to harness its transformative force. If we are to survive the climate crisis, we need to ensure that urbanization works for all of us and that we leave no place behind The World Urban Forum is the most important global event on urban development, and we are delighted that thousands of guests from all over the world – representatives of national, regional and local governments, academics, business leaders, community leaders and urban planners – have decided to visit Katowice and be a part. The location of our meeting is not accidental, just as the motto of the current WUF: We are transforming our cities for a better urban future. Katowice has undergone a spectacular change, from an industrial city to a modern urban centre, where we focus on modern technologies and culture

Maimunah Mohd Sharif

Executive Director, UN-Habitat

pressure on public finances. Differences in the scale of the impact of the pandemic can be attributed to the resilience of the urban economy, economic structure of urban areas, exposure to global markets, etc. This Dialogue will explore how to achieve productive and inclusive urban economies that are resilient to future and unpredictable shocks. Drawing on perspectives from different parts of the world, the dialogue will also explore how sustainable urban futures can be adequately financed.

Marcin Krupa Mayor, Katowice

Integrated governance in spatial planning for a more Just, Green, and Healthy Urban Future

There is no doubt that cities’ preparedness, response and recovery from future shocks rests on robust and responsive urban planning and governance systems. This Dialogue will explore the role of urban planning and governance in achieving a better urban future. It will discuss the current gaps in urban governance that affect the transformations in urban planning concepts and approaches. It will also discuss the lessons learned from the pandemic in different contexts where urban planners and other professionals made key interventions to enhance the form and function of the city.

Innovation & Tech for Inclusive Urban Futures

The Dialogue will explore the role of innovation and technology in transition to more sustainable urban futures as well as the accompanying challenges. The future of cities will be knowledgebased, driven largely by innovation and the widespread use of new technologies and digitisation of virtually all facets of our urban space. The dialogue will further explore how the deepening digital divide and social inequalities within cities and across the urbanrural continuum can be addressed with a view to build inclusive connected communities that ensures no one is digitally left behind.

Greener Urban Futures

The experts will explore how cities can transition to sustainable urban futures characterised by net-zero GHG emissions and much reduced impacts on the environment. The Dialogue will also share about and advocate for innovative policies and practices of partnerships between organised community-based groups and government that feature participatory and inclusive decision-making process in the implementation of “greening” programmes.

Reimagining future of Cities

WUF11 will feature an extraordinary dialogue on urban crisis prevention and response, and special sessions on the social dimension of post-conflict reconstruction and urban recovery. Cities are the engines of change towards creating a better world, one that is safer, more sustainable and inclusive. WUF11’s programme will provide fertile ground for fruitful discussions and serve as an inspiration for action, especially as the urban challenges facing the world today are so critical.