
Hitesh Vaidya
Director, National Institute of Urban Affairs
The Urban 20 was introduced as an engagement group under G20 less than half a decade ago during the Buenos Aires cycle in 2018. Since then it has emerged as one of the premier city diplomacy platforms in the world to shape the cities that we want for our future generations. A month from now, Mayors of various G20 cities will assemble for the sixth edition of the Urban 20 Mayors Summit in the historic city of Ahmedabad to put forth a joint manifesto (the U20 Communiqué) urging G20 leaders to support cities in making the transition to sustainable, resilient and inclusive urban development.
In this years’ cycle, India has attempted to build on the work of the past cycles to develop a joint framework for action, which can help cities to implement global developmental agendas. We have also brought into focus many new areas that are critical for building the long-term resilience and prosperity of cities. These include aspects such as local culture and identity, water security, and climate finance. As a major shift from earlier cycles, we have also endeavored to widen the dissemination of the priority urban issues being discussed as part of the U20 cycle. This has taken the form of online webinars and podcasts by sector experts, various thematic conferences that have deliberated the U20 priorities in detail, various publications, and thematic white papers. This is part of our efforts to ensure ‘janbhagidari’ and create widespread awareness about the issues that will shape the future of our cities. This special edition of E-Gov magazine is the second in a series that focuses on various themes and brings out ideas and voices of different experts.
The articles in this edition are focused on three key themes. The first theme is climate change, which will require cutting-edge thinking for adopting digitalization and predictive technologies, implementing effective water policies, reducing carbon footprints, and promoting circularity in sectors such as water, sanitation, and urban transport. The second theme focuses on the larger role that digitalization and technology will play in urban planning and governance, and the importance of innovative approaches to improve sanitation services, engage citizens through digital platforms, and promote efficient and citizen-centric governance. The third theme explores the social and cultural dimensions of urban development, highlighting the revitalization of cultural landscapes, community participation in sanitation service delivery, children’s role in shaping cities, gender-responsive cities, and conservation of local identities. Together, these themes highlight the importance of sustainable urban planning, inclusive community engagement, and the integration of technology for the advancement of cities.
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The urban sector is unique because of its cross-cutting nature and its potential to drive many of the global development agendas on climate change, sustainability, and inclusive growth for all. There is a need to open up the conversation around urban issues so that robust solutions can be evolved for many of our present urban challenges. Publications such as this provide a unique platform for the general public, young individuals, and scholars to express their views on urban issues and create a culture of collaborative thinking and action.