It's official! Noida-Gr Noida join Global SDG 2025 plan

Noida and Greater Noida on Friday officially accepted an invitation to participate in the prestigious Global Sustainable Cities 2025 Initiative, according to a statement.

An acceptance letter was formally handed over to UNGSII chief Roland Schatz in the presence of UN Director General Michael Moller and leaders of other cities participating in the flagship programme at SDG Lab in Davos, Switzerland, the official statement said.

On November 25, 2018, Noida and Greater Noida were invited to participate in this showcase 'race to sustainability' held in Noida. The twin cities are among the 25 global cities to become fully compliant with the sustainable development goals by 2025 under the UN Global Sustainable Goals (SDG) Cities initiative.

The twin-cities, the only from India, will be competing in the University City's category.

"The decision of the government of Uttar Pradesh was conveyed by B N Singh, the district magistrate of Gautam Buddh Nagar, after getting approval on the proposal by the government," the district administration said in the statement.

Representing Noida and Greater Noida at the Davos SDG lab were Shubhro Sen, the principal advisor India for UNGSII, and Ajay Davesar, a senior advisor for UNGSII India, it said.

The district magistrate pledged his full support to the programme as an "exciting global showcase".

"We thank Dr (Shubro) Sen for originally nominating Noida and successfully presenting its credentials in Heidelberg in March last year and Scahtz for honouring us with a visit to our city to personally invite us," Singh said.

At the session in Davos, Schatz highlighted that the SDG Cities initiative will lead to an unprecedented inflow of global knowledge, resources and capacity-building into Noida and Greater Noida via various UN agencies, partners and corporate supporters, the statement said.

"The overarching goal is to work together with other participating cities to create sustainability, innovation and research hubs and think for the long term. Ultimately the SDG cities platform is about our children and their children; it's about enhanced quality of life and nature of the world we leave behind for them," Schatz said.

Sen said it is a very proud moment for all of India that the twin cities were the first to be selected in the "University City" category.

"The cities are now part of a global platform to bring advance know-how, best practices and shared learning from global experts, best-in-class corporate partners and multiple UN agencies," he said.

"The large positive multiplier from this programme will also pave the way for many other cities in India to adapt and emulate best global practices," Davesar said.

The Uttar Pradesh government had on January 15 permitted the Gautam Buddh Nagar administration to participate in the global initiative.