India and Sweden have a long history of partnerships in various areas. Earlier this year, India and Sweden signed a Memorandum of Understanding on sustainable urban development. This agreement means that our countries can cooperate on developing solutions in the field of sustainable urban development for the well-being of present and future generations.
Mehmet Kaplan Current global urbanisation trends will result in 70 per cent of the world’s population living in cities by 2050. This fact is not a threat, but an opportunity. Living in cities brings environmental challenges, but with them real possibilities to shape smart and effective solutions. Public transport, efficient waste handling and energy accessibility are far easier to integrate when people live close together.
Sweden is a global pioneer in developing smart cities, and this development is based on close collaboration between the private and public sectors. In 2014, the Indian government launched an initiative to build 100 smart cities across India. The agreement between our two nations will therefore, help to develop, govern and manage these cities according to best practices developed through close cooperation. The agreement focuses in particular on development with sustainable and integrated urban planning and land use, waste management, sustainable transport systems and water and sanitation management.
Technological development too provides us with great opportunities to build cities that are both smart and sustainable. Information technology reduces the impact of cities on the climate through a truly effective use of resources and dematerialisation of goods. Digitalisation also, of course, brings us closer together, regardless of physical distance.
Threefold development My view on sustainable urban development is threefold: we need a holistic approach based on economic, ecological and social sustainability. Success comes when all three are closely integrated in the planning and development of cities.
Economic sustainability means that our investments today must be sustainable tomorrow. We must use the best available technology and methods for urban development. Buildings we construct today will be still there for many years ahead. So to secure our investment, we need to get it right from the beginning. Investment in solar panels, for example, can be repaid in just a few years.
Building and developing cities in an ecological and sustainable way is key to the future of our children and our planet. As more and more people move into the cities, pressure on waste management, land use and infrastructure is soaring. Our response is to approach and develop smart solutions in an integrated way. For example, Swedish-Indian partner companies develop solutions for producing biogas from waste water and waste food. The biogas is then processed into vehicle fuel and used to run buses without harmful emissions, in cities throughout India.
“ Sustainable neighbourhoods are created by involving residents in planning, building and renovating our cities. ”
Thirdly, developing social sustainability means that we need to build a society that keeps together. India is the largest democracy in the world, with well-developed systems of local influence. Sustainable neighbourhoods are created by involving residents in planning, building and renovating our cities. To involve citizens is important, not to make the process faster, but to make it better. A gender perspective in city planning is also crucial. Public places need to be safe for everyone — both women and men. Good urban planning helps, through improved street lighting, for example, and well-planned public transport.
India’s President, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, visited Sweden to sign the Memorandum of Understanding on sustainable urban development in June this year. Now we are taking the next mutual step in implementing the agreement. My current visit to India is just the latest part of increasing close and long-term cooperation between our two countries and people in these vital areas for sustainable development and protection of the environment — and for all our futures.
(Mehmet Kaplan is Minister for Housing, Urban Development and Information Technology, Sweden. He is currently on an official visit to India.)
