Global River Cities Alliance (GRCA) A Unique Global Collaboration for River Conservation

Global River Cities Alliance

Global River Cities Alliance (GRCA) has been jointly launched by National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) under India’s Ministry of Jal Shakti along with partner countries Egypt, Netherlands, Denmark, Ghana, Australia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Japan and global river cities The Hague (Netherlands), Adelaide (Australia), Szolnok (Hungary).

International funding organizations the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and knowledge partner KPMG have also entered GRCA alliance to support its objectives.

What is the Global River Cities Alliance (GRCA)?

The Global River Cities Alliance (GRCA) is an international alliance initiated by India’s National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) that brings together 275+ global river-cities across 11 countries along with international funding agencies to promote river conservation and sustainable water management globally.

The key objectives of GRCA are to provide a platform for collaboration and exchange of knowledge between various stakeholders like governments, urban planners, funding institutions etc. involved in managing and rejuvenating rivers globally. By bringing these stakeholders together, GRCA aims to accelerate adoption of best practices related to river rejuvenation through activities like twinning of cities, capacity building and technical support.

When and where was GRCA launched?

The Global River Cities Alliance (GRCA) was officially launched on December 12, 2023 during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The launch during COP28 signifies GRCA’s focus on leveraging climate action to drive large scale river rejuvenation activities globally in a coordinated way. Post the launch, the partner countries and stakeholder are expected to coordinate various activities and develop effective architecture for implementation of GRCA’s objectives and activities.

What is the aim and scope of the GRCA?

The aim of Global River Cities Alliance (GRCA) is to expand the reach and impact of the existing River Cities Alliance (RCA) formed by India’s National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) in 2021.

The GRCA covers over 275 global river cities across 11 countries including India, Egypt, Netherlands, Denmark, Ghana, Australia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Japan. By bringing together cities from across countries, GRCA aims to drive large scale adoption of sustainable river management practices globally.

Significance of GCRA

GRCA presents a unique model of multi-stakeholder and multi-country cooperation to tackle the urgent global issue of river rejuvenation through focused action oriented initiatives involving urban planners and national governments. It signifies the potential of global common action to drive local level change.

Who are the key partners?

The key partners of Global River Cities Alliance (GRCA) include:

• Countries: India, Egypt, Netherlands, Denmark, Ghana, Australia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Japan
• Cities: The Hague (Netherlands), Adelaide (Australia), Szolnok (Hungary)
• Funding Agencies: World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
• Knowledge Partners: KPMG

How will the GRCA promote its objectives?

The GRCA will serve as a platform for knowledge exchange, twinning of river cities and dissemination of best practices related to river conservation and water management.

Some of the key activities that will be conducted through GRCA are:

• Workshops and capacity building programs for sharing technology and expertise
• Twinning of cities for peer-to-peer learning
• Publishing reports/case studies on global best practices
• Providing funding for research and pilot projects

What is the River Cities Alliance (RCA)?

The River Cities Alliance (RCA) is an alliance formed in 2021 by National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) along with National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) that includes 142 Indian river cities as its members.

The key objective of RCA is to provide member cities a common platform to discuss and exchange information related to sustainable urban river management as well as promote sharing of best practices and innovations.

What is the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)?

National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) is an Indian government agency functioning under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. It was launched in 2011 to serve as the implementation arm of the Namami Gange program which focuses on rejuvenation of river Ganga.

The key mandate of NMCG is ensuring effective abatement of pollution and improve the water quality and ecology of the Ganga river through an integrated river basin management approach.

What are the aims of NMCG and Namami Gange?

The major aims of NMCG and associated Namami Gange program are:

• Pollution abatement in river Ganga through improved sewerage infrastructure and treatment
• Maintaining minimum ecological flows to support aquatic life and improve water quality
• Achieve environmental and ecological sustainability of river basin development activities
• Water conservation through rainwater harvesting and aquifer recharge
• Involving stakeholders like industries, religious bodies in cleaning initiatives

Final Thoughts

The Global River Cities Alliance (GRCA) signifies an unprecedented global collaboration for rejuvenating rivers and promoting sustainable water management across countries. Initiated by India’s National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), GRCA brings together over 275 river cities, multiple countries, funding institutions and knowledge partners on a common platform for the first time.

By expanding the scope and impact of the existing River Cities Alliance (RCA) through exchange of ideas/technology and capacity building support, GRCA aims to accelerate large scale adoption of best practices related to river conservation and water management across geographies. The alliance will also foster research and innovation to address emerging water challenges exacerbated by climate change.