Mumbai is among the 31 cities that has recently signed the C40 Cities Urban Nature Declaration, with the pledge to invest in green spaces to improve air quality and strengthen protection against climate impacts – such as extreme heat, flooding and drought.
The pledge declares that within two years of signing, the cities commit to:
- making nature goals public;
- developing programs for green jobs;
- developing a process for involving vulnerable and marginalised communities;
- mapping current and expected climate risks and vulnerability;
- analysing and mapping where new greening is needed and where opportunities for existing green spaces exist;
- accelerating action to address governance barriers to implementation;
- mobilising access to investments and resources that support the Declaration targets; and,
- annually publicly reporting their progress.
The commitment entails delivering on one or both of two key targets. By 2030, 30-40% of city surface area should consist of green or blue infrastructure – trees, urban forests and parks, along with sustainable urban drainage systems and permeable pavements. The Declaration also sets a target for 70% of a city’s population to have access to green or blue public spaces within a 15-minute walk or bike ride by the year 2030.
The cities that have signed the Urban Nature Declaration are: Athens, Austin, Barcelona, Berlin, Bogotá, Buenos Aires, Copenhagen, Curitiba, Durban, Freetown, Guadalajara, Haifa, Lima, London, Los Angeles, Medellín, Milan, Mumbai, New Orleans, Paris, Quezon City, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, Rotterdam, Salvador, Seattle, Stockholm, Sydney, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, and Toronto.
