Bhubaneswar City joined the International programmes on Local Renewables Model Communities Network Project.
 On 26th of April 2006 Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), City Managers’ Association Orissa (CMAO) and International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding in New Delhi for Local Renewables Model Communities Network Project. Along with Bhubaneswar the cities of Coimbatore and Nagpur were selected as model to participate in the three-year initiative, the Local Renewables Model Communities Network project is funded by German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and technical support by Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ). Through this we aim to motivate and enable the local governments in Orissa to incorporate renewable energy services in their municipal development strategies and to initiate related activities said Mr. Piyush Ranjan Rout, Executive Director, CMAO.
Through the project, Bhubaneswar City commits to create local policies that will include the development and use of renewable energy in our growth strategies and policies said Mr. Mihir Mohanty, Mayor BMC. The long-term objective of this project is that it will serve as examples and centres of excellence for other local governments around the region inserted by Mr. Sanjib Mishra, Municipal Commissioner, BMC.
Along with Bhubaneswar, Coimbatore and Nagpur in India, the Network also includes Betim, Brazil, the European cities of Bonn (Germany), Freiburg (Germany), and Växjö (Sweden), and Cape Town (South Africa).
The project activities include:
- Establishment of capacity centres in Bhubaneswar, creating stakeholders group, conduct awareness programs, building private partnerships etc to promote renewable and other energy efficiency technologies;developing local policies for energy efficiency and the promotion of renewable energy;linking the activities in India to the experiences of European cities as well as model communities in Brazil, Germany, Germany, Sweden, and South Africa;expanding the activities to further Orissa and Indian cities and building a international network of committed cities;
- international advocacy for local renewable energy sources and fundraising for model projects in further cities of Orissa.
The project impacts at the city level include:
- improved access to lower cost energy services for the urban poor;reduction in carbon dioxide emissions and other pollutants;a healthier, cheaper and more sustainable source of energy; and
- job creation.
The project impacts at the local, national and international level include the establishment of a benchmark for other local governments in the formulation and implementation of energy policies, and increased demand for renewable energy technologies.
The Local Renewables Model Communities Network Project will provide city managers of Orissa with latest tools & information on energy management and networking with international cities on common agendas” says Executive Director, CMAO
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