The inaugural event was attended by Bhupendra Patel, Chief Minister of Gujarat; Kaushal Kishore, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs; Kiritkumar J Parmar, Mayor of Ahmedabad; Abhay Thakur, G20 Sous Sherpa; and Manoj Joshi, Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. Senior officials from convenor organizations—Dr. Kevin Austin, C40 Cities, and Emilia Saiz, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG)—were also present.
The event was graced by the presence of Kunal Kumar, Joint Secretary, Mission Director, Smart Cities Mission, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA); Ashwini Kumar, Principal Secretary, Department of Urban Development; Sanjeev Kumar, Principal Secretary, Department of Climate Change & Forest and Environment; and M. Thennarasan, Municipal Commissioner, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.
Kirit Parmar, Mayor of Ahmedabad, delivered the welcome address and stressed the importance of building green and sustainable cities. Manoj Joshi, Secretary, MoHUA, GOI stated that cities in the next 20 years will experience significant growth in size and population, becoming centers of prosperity and employment generation. He emphasized the need for cities to focus on public places, solid waste management, and street vendor markets, among other things. Abhay Thakur, Sous Sherpa G20, highlighted that over USD 6.3 trillion in investment is required to meet the target of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Kaushal Kishore, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India, mentioned that India has a long history of urbanization, dating back to 2500 BC. He expressed that the U20 Summit presents a great opportunity to decide the course of urban development.
Chief Minister of Gujarat Bhupendra Patel emphasized the importance of designing cities in a sustainable and resilient manner, addressing challenges such as traffic congestion. He highlighted Gujarat’s Dholavira as an example of urban development, planning, and construction technology from 4500 years ago. Patel expressed pride in Ahmedabad, a city known for its cultural heritage, hosting the U20 Mayoral Summit. Emilia Saiz, Secretary General, UCLG ASPAC, acknowledged the large and unmatched gathering of cities in the U20 edition and emphasized the significance of the event in shaping the future.
During the Summit, the Climate Resilient City Action Plan (CRCAP) of Ahmedabad was launched by the Chief Minister of Gujarat. This plan aims to transform Ahmedabad into a resilient, sustainable, and climate-smart urban center. The U20 Mayoral Summit also saw the launch of a special edition of the Urban Update magazine by Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa; Praveen Chaudhary, U20 Sherpa; and Hitesh Vaidya, Director, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA).
The concluding session was attended by Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri, and Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa. In his address to the delegates, Puri expressed gratitude for the opportunity for serving as Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs and highlighted the impact of urban planning on national development. He praised PM Modi’s transformative approach to urbanisation, shifting the nation’s mindset from viewing urbanization as a problem to seeking solutions through urbanization. Puri celebrated the official handover of the U20 Communique during the U20 India event, emphasizing the collective pursuit of impactful urbanization and sustainable development. Puri and Parmar jointly presented the U20 Communique to Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa, for inclusion in the G20 outcome document.
Alongside the Summit, a series of Spotlight Sessions was organized to address pressing urban issues. Closed-door meetings of the mayors were also held, providing a private space for strategic and diplomatic discussions on the priorities of the Urban 20 among U20 cities. These closed-door meetings covered topics such as U20 2023 priorities, G20 engagement and advocacy in international fora, future planning, and climate finance acceleration. The Urban Climate Film Festival, featuring stories about climate resilience from cities worldwide, was held at the Summit.
Heritage Walk
On the first day of the Summit, mayors and heads of delegations from different countries embarked on a heritage walk, immersing themselves in the vibrant culture and historical wonders of Ahmedabad. The journey began at the awe-inspiring Jama Masjid, an architectural masterpiece that left the delegates spellbound. The intricate details, elegant minarets, and serene ambiance of the mosque transported them back in time, evoking a profound sense of awe and admiration. The next stop was the Pols of Ahmedabad, where the delegates explored the renowned Pols, meandering through narrow lanes that showcased the harmonious coexistence of diverse communities. Amidst the vibrant surroundings, they witnessed firsthand the cultural tapestry woven by the city’s residents.
The culmination of this remarkable heritage walk took place at the Kalupur Swaminarayan Temple, where the delegates were enveloped in a spiritual atmosphere. They marvelled at the temple’s exquisite carvings and divine idols, while its grand structure and ornate spires stood as a testament to the city’s rich religious diversity. This enlightening experience ignited a collective determination among the delegates to build cities that honour their past while embracing the future, ensuring that future generations can embrace and appreciate the richness and diversity of their urban landscapes.
In addition to the heritage walk, the delegates also visited the state-of-the-art GIFT City in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The city served as a meeting point for U20 delegates from around the world. One of the standout moments during their visit was the exploration of the Automated Waste Collection and Segregation Plant, a cutting-edge system for smart solid waste management in the city. The delegates witnessed firsthand how advanced technologies are being harnessed to effectively tackle waste management challenges.
Another stop on the itinerary was the Cooling Plant, where delegates had the privilege of observing the utilisation of state-of-the-art technologies to achieve energy-efficient cooling and minimize the plant’s environmental footprint. This exemplified the city’s commitment to sustainable practices and the adoption of innovative solutions for a greener future.
AIILSG, partners, organise session on Eco-Conscious Waste Management Strategies
The AIILSG, with the National Faecal Sludge and Septage Management (NFSSM) Alliance, National Institute of Urban Affairs and GIZ, organised ‘Closing the Loop’ Session on July 8 at Mahatma Mandir during the U20 Mayoral Summit.
The session was centred around strategies for introducing circularity in water, sanitation, and solid waste management. It will focus on the need to minimise waste and promote an economic system that focuses on the reuse, recycling, and regeneration of materials and products in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner.
Dr Victor Shinde from NIUA moderated the session. William Kingdom, Global Lead Water Supply and Sanitation, World Bank, and Dr Axel Borchmann, Deputy Head of the Division, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, gave the special addresses. Kingdom spoke about circular economy strategies to harness the full value of water and explained the Water in Circular Economy and Resilience (WICER) concept to help embrace and implement circular and resilience principles in cities worldwide. While Brochnan focused on education, research and stakeholder outreach in his address. A host of publications, including ‘Report on Implementing the G20 Action Plan on Marine Litter by India; SOPs on Clean-up Drives; How to Clean Litter from Urban Drains?; Study on International Plastics (Andaman and Nicobar Islands); and Co-Treatment Manual were launched during the plenary session.
Later in the event, two panel discussions were also organised. The first panel discussed Advancing Circular Models in Used Water Management – Moving from Intention to Action. Prof Tony Wong, Professor of Sustainable Development, Monash University, Chair, Water Sensitive Cities Australia, was the Lead Provocateur. Sasanka Velidandla, Director, WASH Institute; Dr Suresh Kumar Rohilla, Programme Lead, International Water Association (IWA); Elizebeth Atwell, Head- British Investment Partnerships, FCDO; and Faisal Alshuayl, Sr. Director of Infrastructure and Partnerships, Royal Commission for Riyadh City shared their experiences in the session.
Sasanka Velidandla said that India had seen some successes in water management, but people acted because of the acute need. Surat and Nagpur are good examples. He underlined the importance of Fit for Purpose, which must be deepened for implementing circularity in water at scale. He also said that the purpose is the circularity of material, not cost recovery. Dr Suresh stressed building water-wise communities and engaging women and youth in dialogues. Elizebeth Atwell underlined the importance of circularity in water and the role of partnerships in accelerating actions. Faisal Alshuayl presented the successful works of Riyadh City and their learnings. Srinivas Chary spoke on the urgent need to promote disruptive, innovative and climate-resilient solutions to support achieving SDGs. He also presented the WASH Innovative Hub and how creative solutions are changing situations on the ground.
The second panel discussion that AIILSG coordinated was on Eco-Conscious Solid Waste Management. The main discussants in the panel included Brian McCarthy, International SWM Expert – Cities Combatting Plastics Entering, Marine Environment (CCP-ME) Project, GIZ-India; Lucas Cleveland, Mayor of Cobourg, Ontario, Canada; Beena Philip, Mayor, Kozhikode Municipal Corporation, Kozhikode, Kerala; and Vaishali Nandan, Head of Projects, GIZ India. Ravi Ranjan Guru, Deputy Director General, AIILSG, was Lead Provocateur in the session. In his thematic address, Ravi spoke on traditional Indian wisdom of minimalism and recycling. He said the G20 countries hold immense power, contributing to a significant share of global material use. With a staggering 80 per cent of the world’s GDP and 75 per cent of global trade, these nations have a crucial role in driving resource efficiency and transitioning towards a circular economy. Cities, being the centres of economic activity and resource consumption, are the perfect starting point to implement optimal resource utilisation. Mayor Lucas spoke on the need for waste avoidance and waste management. He also said he is trying to fix individual producer responsibility in his town. Mayor Beena Philip talked about her initiatives in Kozhikode to reduce waste generation and recycling. Vaishali from GIZ spoke about the 53 categories of waste for recycling.