ABSTRACT
The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) is the first municipal corporation in India that is maintaining its sewage treatment plants (STPs) with biogas energy (methane recovery). Taking a co-benefits approach, in addition to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, a wide range of associated benefits of the project are also quantified. This chapter analyzes climate co-benefits, explains the socio-technological system, technological and innovation capabilities that lead to these co-benefits and analyzes the factors that enabled Surat to achieve those capabilities in the waste sector and sewage management in particular. Visionary people have played a major role in bringing the change in SMC. This includes bureaucracy, elected and political representatives. In terms of technological functions, the chapter concludes that the SMC is currently at the stage of 'intensifying' the sewage management activity. The success of this project has received the attention of other cities in India and this can be replicated by other cities for bringing positive impacts through a co-benefit approach.
