At the International Association of Horticulture Producers (AIPH) World Green City Awards 2022 held in Jeju, South Korea on Friday, it was announced that Hyderabad bagged the coveted World Green Cities award, beating Paris, Bogota, Mexico City, Montreal and Fortaleza in Brazil. This award recognizes nature-oriented approaches to urban planning.
The city received the prestigious AIPH Global ‘World Green City Awards 2022’ for developing lush greenery in and around the Outer Ring Road (ORR).
Efforts by urban forestry wing of @HMDA_Gov & @md_hgcl have turned the entire landscape around #ORR rich green this #monsoon!
Green driving #Hyderabad @KTRTRS @HarithaHaram @SatyaDulam pic.twitter.com/VrMYDj5obV— Arvind Kumar (@arvindkumar_ias) July 20, 2022
Hyderabad also took first place in the AIPH’s category award for “Living Green for Economic Recovery and Inclusive Growth.” The prize recognised the State’s “Telangana Ku Haritha Haram” programme, a massive tree-planting initiative that the State began in 2015–16.
#Hyderabad wins @AIPHGlobal "WorldGreenCityAwards2022" award for "greening the #ORR" project in living green category & gets the prestigious overall GRAND award today at Jeju S Korea- only city from India & huge endorsement to @HarithaHaram initiative of @TelanganaCMO & @KTRTRS pic.twitter.com/5S59YEXvP4
— Arvind Kumar (@arvindkumar_ias) October 14, 2022
The importance of such an award is that it prompts municipalities to come up with innovative ways to sustain and enhance the quality of life in our cities. This is especially important in the face of unchecked urbanisation and climate change. Public green space has a positive effect on biodiversity, climate, wellness and air quality. This also ensures that cities become better places to live and work.
Many cities in India and across the world are already struggling with environmental degradation, traffic congestion, inadequate urban infrastructure and a lack of basic services, such as water supply, sanitation and waste management. Environmental footprints of cities are quite alarming and can threaten the natural resources required to sustain the economic development and poverty alleviation rates. Maintaining economic growth, while creating sustainable livable cities for all, is the biggest urban challenge India is facing today. With Hyderabad having been recognized for their efforts in imagining a sustainable city, one can only hope that local leaders across India follow suit.
