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Our Green Strategy
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Our renewed strategic thrust in 2011
FOSTERING EURO-INDIAN CO-OPERATION
ON SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT
As part of our "F.L.Y. A. K.I.T.E." strategy
- The Centre: a key experienced facilitator of Euro-Indian local level exchange
The Centre has demonstrated its unique capacity to unlock Euro-Indian relations at the local level of Cities, Regions/States and get them and their stakeholders mobilized to exchange and co-operate on issues of mutual interest across the K.I.T.E. spectrum of Knowledge, Investment and business, Tourism and urban Excellence with tangible achievements: 5 Indian missions to Europe, 3 co-operation agreements between European and Indian cities, 5 Euro-Indian events, culminating with the successful EuroIndia Summit in Leuven in October 2011.
- Our prime focus: Urban Development
Urban Development has been and will remain our main priority. This focus will provide an opportunity to both European and Indian companies, civic bodies, academic and research institutes, professionals and NGO s to exchange expertise and undertake joint projects. The Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission and the Rajiv Awaas Yojna on social housing offer great opportunities for exchange of technical know-how as well as project design and implementation.
- Our new focus: Environmentally Sustainable Urban Development
In the first 3 years, we focused on heritage conservation, tourism and urban security with tangible results: A Urban Heritage Centre in Ahmedabad, a seminar on tourism in Delhi, a first-time EuroIndia conference in Mumbai on urban and corporate security. While these issues will keep being addressed, the Centre now wishes to focus on environmental urban sustainability.
According to GIEC, 50 to 70% of greenhouse gas emissions originate from cities. Europe and India would do well to share their best technology in the field and to assist their cities in its ground application.
- The local level: A pertinent level for action
Central/Federal governments may not be the best equipped to fulfil their international pledge to fight global warming, as urban policies are usually out of their direct constitutional purview. They also often lack efficient financial and technical transfer mechanisms to the local level.
Cities and their parent Regions/States are hands on and do not believe in diplomatic posturing as seen again at Durban. They may however find it hard to source the best technology and/or funding for lack of access to international co-operation mechanisms.
- City-to-city co-operation: A proven means for tangible results
Enduring win-win exchanges of technology, know-how and funding can take place at city level for direct hands-on application with all concerned local stakeholders, be it public agencies, specialized companies, academic and research institutes or NGO´s.
- The Centre: A nimble exchange facilitator between all civic tiers
Harnessing its demonstrated capability to network among all different stakeholders at all administrative tiers, be it central/federal Governments, Regions/States or Cities, the Centre can offer a privileged channel to both Europe and India for exchange and co-operation in the field.
European players with little or no access to Indian States and cities can use the Centre as their preferred channel for transfer of know how and technology, and vice versa. Thus the Centre could add value to the ambitious funded programmes of the Government of India by facilitating their beneficiary Cities and States access to European state-of-the art technology and know-how.
- New focus, new services
All our existing activities such as missions and events have been given a green slant accordingly and new services are being launched:
- The EuroIndia Environmentally Sustainable City Award (ESCA) to be presented to one city and one associated company/institution/NGO of India and Europe at our yearly Summits, supported by a dedicated fund.
- A network of Indian and European institutes, professionals and NGOs of excellence in the field of Environmentally Sustainable Urban Development to be developed and made accessible through the Centre to local governments in need.
- Similarly, they will be able to access our qualified corporate and civic members.
In this manner, exchange of technical know-how in Environmentally Sustainable Urban Development, institutional co-operative agreements and corporate market access in the field between Europe and India will be facilitated.
Thus our statutory goal of bringing Indians and Europeans together again for a shared future will eventually be fulfilled at the level where it matters more to their daily life: their City.
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