The envoys of France, Germany and the European Union (EU) will mark the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement by visiting Kochi, which has benefited from several Indo-European partnership projects to tackle challenges arising from climate change.
Projects backed by Europe in Kochi, a port city considered the economic capital of Kerala, are supporting low carbon urban development policies that help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Agreement. Several of these projects will be visited by French ambassador Emmanuel Lenain, German ambassador Walter Lindner and EU ambassador Ugo Astuto on December 12.
These projects include the water metro, financed by German investment bank KfW, and Vytilla, an intermodal transport hub that connects the water metro, bus services and Kochi Metro, which was financed by the French Development Agency (AFD) with a technical assistance grant from EU. The envoys will also visit Cochin Shipyard, where a 100-seat boat is being built, said a joint statement from the embassies of France, Germany and EU.
As part of efforts to highlight the importance of the Paris Agreement, the envoys will use green transport during the visit. For instance, they will take e-buses to reach Vytilla, the transport hub.
{{/usCountry}}As part of efforts to highlight the importance of the Paris Agreement, the envoys will use green transport during the visit. For instance, they will take e-buses to reach Vytilla, the transport hub.
{{/usCountry}}On the last leg of the visit, the envoys will go to Muttom Depot and use e-rickshaws, which provide first and last mile connectivity services in Kochi’s public transport network. They will also be briefed by Kochi Metro Rail officials on gender and social inclusion initiatives, flood mitigation measures, rainwater harvesting and solar power integration.
Kochi Metro, partially inaugurated in 2017, is the first building block of an integrated mobility policy being implemented by state and local authorities. This policy, which has benefited from technical and financial support from France, Germany and EU, has resulted in significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector.
The envoys will also witness an example of Kochi’s comprehensive urban mobility planning at Edapally station, where pedestrian and bicycle traffic is prioritised. This will provide an opportunity to showcase results of the Mobilise Your City (MYC) programme, jointly launched at COP21 by the French and German governments and aimed at reducing urban transport-related emissions.
Kochi is among Indian cities pioneering the MYC initiative, with support from AFD and funding worth 3.5 million euros from EU.
The envoys will also hold talks with mobility and urban development stakeholders, including Cochin Smart City Development Limited. Kochi is one of 12 cities benefiting from technical and financial support under the Indian government’s City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain (CITIIS) programme, supported by AFD and EU.
Ahead of the visit, Lenain said the close ties between France and Kochi are more than two decades old, and cooperation with the French Development Bank started in 2014, with two loans totalling more than 207 million euros.
“Achieving COP21’s agenda of solutions relies on broad partnerships like the one built in Kochi. It is an inspiring example of what we can achieve together with India, illustrating the way to concrete actions that help meet the Paris Agreement’s goals,” he said.
Astuto said even as the world grapples with the Covid-19 pandemic, countries mustn’t forget that the fight against climate change is an “existential issue for all of us”. He added, “Tackling the impacts of this global crisis must go hand in hand with fighting climate change and combating biodiversity loss to build a greener future. Post-Covid, we need to build back better and invest in an economic model fit for the 21st century – green, digital and resilient.”
Lindner described the Paris Agreement as an important milestone on the way to a greener future. “Covid has shown us that cleaner air and a cleaner environment indeed is possible. What we need now is a greener restart to our economies,” he said.