Webinar | December 20, 2023 | 6:30 a.m. New York | 12:30 p.m. Paris – Montpellier | 1:30 p.m. Quelimane | 5:00 p.m. Maharashtra
Waste management represents a major challenge to the sustainable development and health of urban communities worldwide. Long considered simply something to dispose of, waste is increasingly becoming a cornerstone of ambitious urban sustainability strategies. According to the principles of circularity, waste management makes it possible to reduce air, water, and soil pollution, foster equity and economic growth, strengthen urban-rural bonds, and improve public health.
Through the accounts of Quelimane in Mozambique, Montpellier in France, and the State of Maharashtra in India, the Cities and Climate Solutions | Waste webinar will explore and discuss the challenges and opportunities of urban waste management, drawing valuable insights for cities around the world.
The Cities and Climate Solutions webinar series is co-organized by the City Diplomacy Lab and Columbia Global Centers | Paris. This webinar is co-sponsored by the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF).
Speakers
Quelimane
Dr. Manuel A. Alculete Lopes de Araújo has been the Mayor of Quelimane since 2011. Dr. de Araújo’s extensive experience spans civil society, academics, business, and politics. He is deeply involved in advocating for issues linked to urban and climate change. He plays a key role within institutions such as UCLG as well as ICLEI, where he is a member of the Global Executive Committee and Global Co-Chair for Resilience. In 2019, Araújo was elected Deputy Chair of the National Council of the Mozambican Mayors Association (ANAMM) Congress. Araújo holds a PhD from the University of East Anglia and an MSc from SOAS, University of London.
Maharashtra
Mr. Sameer Unhale is the State Joint Commissioner of Municipal Administration, Government of Maharashtra. Currently, he is working on digital transformation and data initiatives, affordable housing, and issues relating to the larger urban areas. He has worked in the executive/leadership position of Municipal Commissioner of Municipal Corporation in the cities of Ulhasnagar, Dhule, and Nanded. Mr. Unhale wrote several books, including How will India solve its urban problems: stories of innovation, sustainability, inclusion and smartness (co-authored with Dr. Biniti Singh, October 2020), and City Reflection : Practitioner’s Experience in Urban Governance amidst Uncertain Times (October 2022).
Montpellier
Ms. Clare Hart, Vice-President of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole. A social change maker and expert in Corporate Social Responsibility, London-born Clare Hart is passionate about gender equality and social inclusion through grassroots mobilization and a fervent charity activist. She is Vice-president of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole for European and International Relations and a City councilor for Montpellier alongside Mayor Michaël Delafosse.
The discussion will be moderated by City Diplomacy Lab Director Lorenzo Kihlgren Grandi.
Watch the recording
Overview of the Cities and Climate Solutions series
In the face of the climate crisis, cities across the world are emerging as integral problem-solvers in the development of an effective, multi-layered response. This series, launched in Spring 2023 with events on food and water, aims to bring together the representatives of cities that have implemented some of the most impactful and sustainable actions.
This second season of the webinar series kicked off in November 2023 and covers the topics of air, energy, and waste. Each webinar will see the participation of representatives from three cities and will be moderated by a representative from Columbia University. In order to encourage geographic representativeness, each webinar will host city representatives from different regions and countries.
This series celebrates the leadership of cities and provides inspiration for the thousands of cities and local governments around the world committed to shaping the global response to climate change.
Earlier Cities and Climate Solutions webinars:
Food (Spring 2023) – https://youtu.be/3OzxcUFOYA8
Air (Fall 2023) – https://youtu.be/H_n-ddT6gJw?si=v2O74Iph3sk894-S
Energy (Fall 2023) – https://youtu.be/TD7odDcFRgA?si=6nhC5BnfN083_fQb