Following the Maharashtra government’s announcement on Earth Day, Nashik Municipal Corporation Commissioner Kailas Jadhav signed the Race to Zero pledge – making Nashik the first non-metro city in Maharashtra to commit to going net-zero by 2040.
Organised ahead of the Conference of Parties, the UN gathering responsible for the historic Paris Agreement, the Race to Zero is the largest credible alliance of companies, cities, states, regions, investors, universities and all actors aiming to halve carbon emissions by 2030 and individually committed to achieving net-zero emissions as soon as possible, by 2040 at the very latest.
As part of this initiative, cities will prevent future climate threats, create jobs and unlock sustainable growth. Participating cities will also report their greenhouse gas emissions and strategise to reduce these by mid-century, in line with the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Nashik has been a frontrunner in many states and central government initiatives that address climate change directly such as the Majhi Vasundhara Abhiyan, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Smart City Mission and the National Clean Air Programme. The Race to Zero campaign supports the exemplary work done by Nashik as part of these initiatives.
Nashik has received grants of Rs 20.5 crore to reduce air pollution from the 15th Finance Commission. This grant will be utilised for the construction of electric crematoriums and waste management technologies for Nashik Municipal Corporation – which directly tackle greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.
“Cities are the solution to addressing climate change. Cities should, would and could lead the way forward,” said Minister of Environment, Tourism and Protocol Aaditya Thackeray in a recent conversation about the importance of cities and net-zero pathways in addressing climate change.
“Nashik Municipal Corporation is committed to tackling climate change – reducing air pollution is a major step towards this direction. The Race to Zero initiative, C40 Cities and Majhi Vasundhara Abhiyan gives a much-needed platform to share our best practices towards addressing these key issues” said Jadhav.
In addition, Nashik has also prioritised carbon-free transport in the city by developing smart roads and dedicated cycling infrastructure. The city has also planned the development of a clean public transport system using electric buses and CNG fuel. Such initiatives have displayed the city’s long-standing commitment to the environment and its citizens.
As part of the Race to Zero campaign, Nashik has committed to set aggressive targets for reducing air pollution, procure more electric buses and reduce municipal solid waste. In addition, the city will advance towards resilient and sustainable energy systems by promoting clean energy sources such as solar energy.