Ahmedabad, India, is joining C40 Cities as a mega city member to accelerate climate resilient and sustainable development.
C40’s Steering Committee approved Ahmedabad’s membership application on June 30. The city is the tenth to join C40 from South and West Asia, and the sixth from India.
Ahmedabad is a fast-growing city of approximately 8.2 million people and an important economic hub in the state of Gujarat. It was one of 100 cities to participate in India’s inaugural Smart Cities programme, the country’s ambitious effort to accelerate sustainable and inclusive development in urban areas. Ahmedabad has committed to developing a climate action plan aligned with the Paris Agreement and the C40 Climate Action Planning Framework that balances mitigation and adaptation, unlocks economic opportunities and improves the lives of its residents.
C40 will work with the city to facilitate the delivery and mainstreaming of climate action, and share lessons learned with city officials around the world.
Ahmedabad, a UNESCO World Heritage City, has been a regional climate leader for several years. The city is the first in South Asia with a first heat action plan, developed in 2013 to address the deadly heat waves that have become more commonplace in West and North India. In 2019, the city launched a plan to control air pollution which, among other things, prioritises phasing out older vehicles and setting up compressed natural gas (CGN) infrastructure to encourage the transition of public transport vehicles to CNG. Earlier this year, Chief Minister of Gujarat Bhupendrabhai Patel unveiled a climate change and environment action plan that recognises the far-reaching impact of anthropogenic activities on Ahmedabad’s environment and offers solutions in the areas of transport, energy, agriculture as well as forest and waste management.
Lochan Sehra, Indian Administrative Service, Municipal Commissioner of Ahmedabad, said: “It is a pleasure to be part of this international network of like minded cities. Ahmedabad is also a member of other global alliances and networks like GCOM, ICLEI etc., we are happy to receive another feather in our hat. The approval of our city’s membership is a recognition of Ahmedabad’s efforts in fighting climate change. Our city has been at the forefront of the issue, implementing action against climate change which have been applauded for their efficacy. We look forward to participating in knowledge sharing with the other global cities of the C40 group to accelerate our future efforts.”
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London and Chair of C40 Cities, said: “I am proud to welcome the city of Ahmedabad as the newest member of C40 Cities. Cities are leading the way when it comes to tackling the climate emergency and I am committed to doing more to support cities in the global south, which are on the frontline – facing the worst consequences of climate change. I look forward to working closely with Ahmedabad to make our cities safer, fairer, greener and more prosperous for all.”
C40 Executive Director Mark Watts said: “I would like to extend a warm welcome to the city of Ahmedabad to the C40 network. C40 cities are leaders in the global climate movement. Ahmedabad has taken bold steps to address global heating and we look forward to working with the city’s people and leaders to learn and further accelerate climate actions.”
Shruti Narayan, C40’s Regional Director for South and West Asia, said: “Ahmedabad is an important addition to the C40 network that further elucidates the diversity of a region where urban leaders are driving innovative solutions to climate challenges. We look forward to working with Ahmedabad to build on the city’s proven record of climate action and to facilitate knowledge sharing among cities in India and beyond.”