A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Phase III of the “Capacity Building Project on Low Carbon and Climate Resilient City Development in India (CapaCITIES)” project, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), was exchanged between the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) and ICLEI South Asia on 13 September 2025 in Vadodara. ICLEI South Asia is one of the implementing partners under CapaCITIES project, providing on-ground technical support to the city.

V. M. Rajput, Deputy Commissioner, Vadodara Municipal Corporation, and Bedoshruti Sadhukhan, Associate Director, ICLEI South Asia, exchanged the MoU during the Urban Innovation & Infrastructure Summit organised by VMC, in the presence of Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat; Smt. Pinkyben Soni, Hon’ble Mayor of Vadodara; Arun Mahesh Babu, IAS, Municipal Commissioner; Chiragbhai Barot, Hon’ble Deputy Mayor of Vadodara; Dr. Sheetal Mistry, Hon’ble Chairman of the Standing Committee, Vadodara; and several other dignitaries.

Phase III of the CapaCITIES project aims to strengthen Vadodara’s climate leadership by providing technical support to operationalise the ‘Net-zero and Climate Cell,’ which was established during Phase II of the project, and to plan, implement, and monitor city-wide climate actions. Under this phase, Vadodara will prepare sector-wise annual action plans aligned with the Net-zero Climate Resilient City Action Plan 2070 (Net-zero CRCAP). The city will also develop a Climate Investment Plan 2030, prepare and monitor an annual climate budget, and mobilise climate finance to ensure long-term sustainability.

Earlier, under Phase II of the CapaCITIES project, Vadodara strengthened its technical and institutional capacities and adopted the Net-zero CRCAP. The city implemented the Miyawaki urban forest initiative to improve its green cover, which has now successfully expanded to 70 plots by VMC. A dedicated ‘Net-zero and Climate Cell’ was also approved by the General Board to mainstream climate actions into the regular planning process.

With these initiatives under the SDC-funded CapaCITIES project, Vadodara is moving decisively towards a net-zero, climate-resilient future. ICLEI South Asia remains committed to support the Vadodara Municipal Corporation in its current and future climate-resilient endeavours.