Building partnerships to build better cities

‘Trudeau dials India for vaccine; will do best to help, says Modi’ was a recent print media headline. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis, India has been reaching out to several countries with support by way of supply of vaccines against the virus. This has placed India in a position of leadership in a time of global crisis; alongside it has highlighted the role of global partnerships and collaborations in creating a better world for all.
Yet another headline said ‘Biden signs order rejoining Paris Climate Agreement’. This action on the part of the US President soon after taking office is a crucial and timely step in the global fight against Climate Change given that the US is a major carbon emitter, and also the fact that the window for meaningful, effective action to limit global temperature rise is now getting narrower. The US, as a hub of technology and innovation, could play a game-changing role in achieving the Paris Agreement goal. This event too brings to the fore the essential role of international partnerships in addressing pressing concerns including achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
In the field of urban governance and management too, such partnerships will prove valuable. A majority of mankind already lives in urban settings with a steady, and in some cases, rapid shift of the rest of the population towards cities. With this trend, cities, and therefore local governments, will increasingly be called upon to address global developmental challenges across dimensions – economic, social, and environmental. In these efforts, partnerships among cities, or city-city collaborations can prove effective. Such collaborations could help all partners address issues of common concern such as urban mobility, air quality, security and policing, service delivery relating to water and waste management, and housing. The partnerships could go beyond just sharing of experiences of different partners; they could work to address joint concerns with individual expertise although the contexts and circumstances could be vastly different.
Cities then have much to gain from peer level collaboration and partnerships. However such initiatives could encounter challenges too. Language, culture, political and economic circumstances are some. One key challenge in the context of Indian cities could be the absence of an autonomous and empowered city governance structure. City leadership, even in the case of large metropolises with several millions in population, have widely dispersed, rather than single point leadership. Many have argued for an elected empowered mayor with say, a five year tenure to lead city administrations for more city-centric governance. Cities would then be in a position to forge partnerships and strike alliances and work jointly with global stakeholders to implement best practices and create world class urban spaces in India.
This issue of Urban Update presents more views on how such global partnerships and collaborations can help build sustainable cities.