The growth of secondary and tertiary sectors in the peri-urban villages results in development strain and causes demographic, socio-economic, and spatial transformations. Deficiency in provisioning of basic services is one of the prime concerns for these villages. This study aims to examine the present conditions and the community's attitude towards waste management, and whether the self-help groups (SHGs) can aid in developing a sense of collective responsibility. Five villages from the Bhiwandi Surrounding Notified Area in Mumbai Metropolitan Region, India, were selected for a case study investigation of the current situation of service provisioning by the rural local bodies. Questionnaire surveys were conducted for 122 households and the heads of all SHGs in the villages simultaneously. Due to the limited household surveys, the data were triangulated with documents and interviews with officials. The results were qualitatively and quantitatively analysed to understand people's perception of the SHGs and the major factors through which the groups contribute in improving livelihoods and living conditions. The SHGs also play a significant role in developing awareness of issues and social integration in the rapidly evolving structure of these peri-urban communities, as is highlighted in the case studies. The relations between SHG participation and literacy levels on the attitude towards local involvement in solid waste management for the villages were analysed. The resulting significant correlations point towards the consideration of these factors while planning for a development model for peri-urban villages. Policy-level support to the SHGs can help in fostering local partnerships and community initiatives towards better service delivery in the villages. This kind of social empowerment forms the basis for social sustainability, which in turn promotes economic and environmental sustainability.
Peri-urban areas in developing countries pose unique governance challenges because of their rapid development. Villages in these areas are under-served in terms of the provision of waste management services. This research focused on an exploratory workshop conducted in one peri-urban village in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, India, to raise community awareness regarding the importance of contributing towards effective waste management in their village and the means by which they can do so. The findings of the workshop show its effectiveness in raising the awareness levels of self-help group members. In addition to these findings, causal loop diagrams were drawn to construct effective institutional mechanisms from the perspective of the capacities of the participants and the officials. This study examined the policy initiatives necessary for meeting the sanitation and waste management needs of peri-urban villages. Inferences regarding the institutionalization of linkages between self-help groups and local bodies were made based on the principles of sociocracy. Theoretical insight was provided regarding the different factors affecting this system, and how this model is flexible enough to accommodate the contextual needs of peri-urban villages.
Background
It has been more than five years since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement, which seek to improve the well-being of people and the planet and strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change. While these major international commitments have spurred a lot of policy debates and academic research, a synthesis of how their adoption has shaped the academic discussions in pursuit of these goals in specific sectors such as energy is limited. Using a systematic review method following the PRISMA procedure, we examine the emergent trends in the academic discussions on the linkage between these international agendas and energy with a specific reference to policy-based research publications.
Results
Our analysis found that many studies on this subject are predictive/prescriptive, attempting to forecast and map out various pathways by which these international commitments may be achieved. Studies on the progress of implementation of policies and their impacts on these goals are somewhat limited. The three most common policy-related issues identified by the studies reviewed are lack of integrated/cross-sectoral planning, narrow emphasis on energy justice in policies, and the need for more cost-effective strategies in pursuit of the Paris Agreement.
Conclusions
This study revealed emerging trends in energy debates and policy discourse within academic discussions addressing the SDGs and the Paris Agreement. Research on the progress of implementation, impacts and critical lessons from current policy efforts to achieve these global agendas are needed. Country case studies, in particular, can encourage policy-learning through cross-country comparisons, which can inform regional and domestic energy policies towards achieving the SDGs and the Paris Agreement.
This policy brief offers the following recommendations to local policymakers in developing economies to overcome critical obstacles to closing cities’ climate finance gaps: (i) prepare city-level climate finance plans and investment strategies; (ii) diversify financial approaches and build community-driven sustainability financing; (iii) improve internal capacity, information disclosure, and prudential regulations; (iv) develop bankable projects and provide incentives to strengthen private sector engagement.
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