The WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) together with the C40 network, UK Pact and Minambiente selected two Medellín Futuro projects to assess needs in energy innovation and greenhouse gas (GHG) removal technology. The strategy, developed by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), seeks to finance climate change mitigation initiatives in developing countries through its International Climate Finance (ICF) fund.

Both projects met the requirements to recieve this technical support that will mitigate climate change. A new step towards turning Medellín into an Ecocity, where the environment is in harmony with the citizens.

Medellín was selected by the British government to assess the city’s needs for energy innovation and greenhouse gas (GHG) removal technology. The strategy, advanced by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), seeks to finance climate change mitigation initiatives in developing countries, through its International Climate Finance (ICF) fund.

For this purpose, the projects for the 80th Avenue Metro and the Bicycle path networks  were identified, both in their implementation and with high potential to reduce GHG emissions. In addition, support was received for the city’s report on RENARE, a platform to record the reductions of these gases in Colombia..

The initiatives were selected from an inventory that included the Urban Protected Air Zone (ZUAP), the river TRT lane (truck rapid transit), Line Z (a line of electric buses that connect to the José María Córdova airport), a section of the North-South bicycle, electric taxis, and others.

The process began with the construction of a prioritization matrix that took notice of the project’s importance for the city,  it’s potencial to mitigate greenhouse gases, it’s expected benefits and the gender impact, all from a theoretical point of view and according to international experiences.

The Secretary of Enviroment, Juliana Colorado, emphasized that, through these international actions “we’re continuing to bluntly move towards the development of a coherent and sustainable city with the challenges brought by the XXI century, commited to the Paris, and aware that the planet’s well-being is the biggest challege of our society and protecting it, is fundamental for all forms of life”.

It is expected that with this exercise of international, local and regional technical cooperation, pollutant emitions are reduced,  and premature deaths will be reduced by promoting physical activity and safe, accessible and well-lit spaces, so that the Ecocity strategy of the Medellín Futuro Development Plan and the goal of being a Carbon Neutral city by 2050 maintains its impact on citizen’s quality of life.

Finally, the executive director of the ACI Medellín, Eleonora Betancur, mentions that “Medellín, with its Development Plan, has become a model for many cities in the region and the world thanks to its firm commitment to the environment. Belonging and having a leadership in the C40 network and now, being selected for the BEIS with these projects, shows that we have a growing responsibility to meet the world’s commitments in the Paris Agreement and to contribute to saving the planet”.

The densification of the cycle network includes the implementation of 40 kilometers of length with cycle-infrastructure, mostly segregated, to consolidate corridor sections that allow expanding and connecting the existing urban and metropolitan network.

In turn, the 80th Anevue Metro is a strategic project for sustainable mobility, urban transformation and public space, that will connect the west area of Medellín through light rail train technology, that will contribute to betting citizen’s quality of life.

BEIS International Climate Finance (ICF) is a commitment by the UK Government to help developing countries respond to the challenges and opportunities of climate change.

As part of this commitment, BEIS will provide at least $ 7.5 billion from ICF by 2021, aiming to achieve a fair divide between mitigation and adaptation, positioning the UK among the world’s leading providers of climate finance.

In the midst of the various public health, sociopolitical, and economic crises that the world continues to face entering the new year, climate activists are declaring a Global Climate Strike today, March 19, to demand immediate, concrete and ambitious action from world leaders in response to the ongoing climate crisis.

Part of what they want to highlight in this strike is the urgency of immediate action in the face of the weather- and climate-related disasters that have devastated various countries last year, from the wildfires that afflicted parts of Australia, North America, and Latin America, to the droughts in Africa, to the storms that devastated Central America and Southeast Asia.

“The science is crystal clear — climate change is exacerbating natural disasters by making these events stronger, more intense, more frequent, and therefore more destructive,” said João Duccini, a climate activist from Brazil. “The climate crisis is not a far-off catastrophe. Heat waves, droughts, floods, hurricanes, landslides, deforestation, fires, loss of housing and spread of diseases — this is what the most affected people and areas are dealing with more and more frequency today. Our lives depend on immediate action.”

“It’s been five years since the Paris Agreement was signed, and three years since the alarming report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was publicly released,” said Maya Ozbayoglu from Poland. “Numerous countries all over the globe have committed to seemingly ambitious pledges about reaching ‘net-zero’ emissions. Empty promises like these can be a very dangerous phenomenon, because they give the impression that sufficient action is being taken, but in fact that is not the case as these targets are full of loopholes, creative accounting, and unscientific assumptions.”

For over two years now, youth climate activists from around the world have been striking and taking to the streets to demand climate justice. Now, with the COVID-19 pandemic, the actions will be taking on different forms in different places, but their call for #NoMoreEmptyPromises is uniting people beyond borders under the same goal of immediate climate action. 

“If we don’t act now, we won’t even have the chance to deliver on those 2030, 2050 targets that world leaders keep on talking about,” said Mitzi Jonelle Tan from the Philippines. “What we need now are not empty promises, but annual binding carbon targets and immediate cuts in emissions in all sectors of our economy.”

“When your house is on fire, you don’t wait for 10, 20 years before you call the fire department; you act as soon and as much as you possibly can,” said Greta Thunberg from Sweden.

Paris, France (11th December 2020) — C40 Cities today released new analysis of climate action plans from 54 cities confirming they will deliver their fair share of greenhouse gas emission reductions to keep global temperatures to the 1.5°C target of the Paris Agreement – the level that scientists agree is needed to tackle the global climate crisis. The analysis includes reviews of comprehensive new plans from 14 cities – Buenos Aires; Curitiba; Dakar; Guadalajara; Johannesburg; Medellín; Mexico City; Milan; Montréal; Lisbon; Rio de Janeiro; Salvador; São Paulo and Vancouver. The data confirms that when fully implemented, these climate action plans will protect residents, create jobs, address inequalities, and tackle the global climate crisis.

C40’s research reveals that efforts by these world leading cities will prevent at least 1.9 gigatonnes of GHG emissions from being released into the atmosphere between 2020 and 2030, equivalent to half the combined annual emissions of the EU’s 27 member states.

54 cities, representing more than 200 million residents, are on track to help keep global heating below 1.5°C and tackle the climate crisis, per C40 analysis.

The new analysis was presented today by Mark Watts, C40’s Executive Director, at a landmark event hosted by Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, to mark five years since the signing of the Paris Climate Agreement.

C40 research reveals that city efforts could avert at least 1.9 gigatonnes of GHG emissions between 2020 and 2030, equivalent to half the annual emissions of the European Union.

Cities with climate action plans reviewed by C40’s Deadline 2020 programme and confirmed as having science-based targets consistent with the Paris Agreement goals include:

Buenos Aires, Argentina; Melbourne, Australia; Curitiba, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador & São Paulo, Brazil; Montréal & Vancouver Canada; Medellín, Colombia; Copenhagen, Denmark; Paris, France; Accra, Ghana; Milan, Italy; Guadalajara & Mexico City, Mexico; Amsterdam & Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Oslo, Norway; Lisbon; Portugal; Dakar, Senegal; Durban & Johannesburg, South Africa; Barcelona, Spain; Stockholm, Sweden; London, UK; and Boston, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, Portland, Seattle & Washington D.C., USA.

Amongst the details contained in the climate plans reviewed by C40 are the following:

• In Mexico City, more than 100km of public transport corridors and 4 new cable car lines will be open by 2024, providing better access to essential services for low income communities.
• In Dakar, the city will improve flood management, protecting citizens and livelihoods  by including climate risks in urban planning.
• In São Paulo the city will incentivise and prioritise local and organic food production, providing residents with access to affordable and quality food.
• In Johannesburg, by 2030, all new public and private buildings will operate at net zero carbon, generating hundreds of jobs.
• In Buenos Aires, 100,000 new trees will be planted by 2025, helping clean the air all porteños breathe.
• In Milan, the city will reallocate 100km of street space for cycling and walking by the end of 2021, delivering a green and just recovery to the COVID crisis.
• Lisbon will multiply its production of solar energy by 50 by 2030, ensuring the energy transition ends energy poverty and benefits all city residents.

C40’s Deadline 2020 Programme, launched in 2016, is working with cities around the world to develop and implement climate plans which will deliver action consistent with the objectives of the Paris Agreement – an integrated and inclusive plan that addresses the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to the impacts of climate change, and deliver wider social environmental and economic benefits. This work is made possible with the generous support of the UK Government, the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DMFA) and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF).

Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles, C40 Chair, said: “Cities have always carried the torch of climate action, because our residents can’t afford the costs of indifference and the consequences of delay. This analysis confirms what we have long known to be true: cities will keep doing their part to meet the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, root our strategies in science, protect our most vulnerable residents, and deliver a green economy that works for everyone.”

Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris, who today hosts a landmark event at Paris City Hall marking the 5th Anniversary of the Paris Climate Agreement, said: “I was Chair of C40 Cities when Deadline 2020 was set, challenging global cities to set their own climate action plan that will protect residents, create green jobs, address inequality and build the future we want. Now, five years on from the Paris Climate Agreement, I am proud to see so many cities from all over the world launch their plans to keep global temperature rises below 1.5°C. This marks an important milestone in our efforts to accelerate climate action and demonstrates the incredible leadership from cities on this issue.”

“Cities around the world are showing that it’s possible to tackle the climate crisis and meet the goals of the Paris Agreement – and the steps they are taking are already improving millions of lives, by cleaning the air, creating new jobs, giving people new ways to get around, and protecting communities from floods and other disasters,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, C40 Board President, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and Bloomberg LP. “The more we do to support the work cities are doing, the faster we’ll make progress globally, and C40 will continue finding new ways to do that – and new partners in the public and private sectors who share our commitment.”

COP26 President Alok Sharma said: “The new ambitious Climate Action Plans from 14 cities is a great demonstration of the leadership that we need to see on the road to COP26 and beyond if we are going to succeed in tackling climate change.”

“We are bringing the world together at the Climate Ambition Summit on 12 December to provide a platform for more ambitious commitments like these.”

Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, Mayor of Buenos Aires, said: “As cities, we are aware that in the current crisis context these commitments are not easy. But we also know that we cannot continue working with the status quo. We have the opportunity to rewrite our urban design, promoting cities on a human scale which improve people’s quality of life and support climate action.”

Daniel Quintero, Mayor of Medellín, said: “Medellín is the first city in Colombia to formulate its Climate Action Plan with international standards and in line with the Paris Agreement, to have a route map that leads us to a progressive reduction in the generation of Greenhouse Gases and to achieve the neutrality of these emissions by the year 2050. Likewise, our Plan encourages green and fair economic growth.

Antonio Carlos Peixoto de Magalhães Neto, Mayor of Salvador said:”The challenges of the climate crisis are global, but through local actions, we can contribute to the planet’s sustainability. Salvador has fulfilled the Deadline 2020 commitment and is launching a Paris-compliant Climate Action Plan. Thus, the first capital of Brazil is contributing to the global climate agenda, and at the same time, implementing actions that promote adaptation and climate justice to its citizens.”

Giuseppe Sala, Mayor of Milan said: “To deliver on the goals of the Paris Agreement, we must deliver a green and just recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic that creates a fair economy, cuts emissions and creates jobs.”

The European Commission formally invited Medellín to participate as an international mentor in the ICC, thanks to the good practices developed in recent years, the successful public policies implemented, and the challenges posed by the Development Plan “Medellín Futuro” to transform the city into a Software Valley and an Ecocity. 

The Intelligent Cities Challenge – ICC is a program that seeks to drive technological transformation towards smart, green and socially sustainable growth between 2020 and 2022. 

Over the next 2 and a half years of the program, participating cities will focus on implementing strategies to create a common open data platform, a Marketplace for Smart and Innovative City Solutions and Joint Investment Opportunities. 

A total of 80 European cities were selected to exchange knowledge and successful practices around the Challenge themes and will be accompanied by 11 European and international mentor cities, within which Medellín is the only city in the Americas invited to be part of this select group. 

Of the 91 cities that are part of this program, only two are outside the European Union: Singapore and Medellín as mentor cities. 

As a launch for the program, the ICC City Lab will take place between September 28th and October 2nd; this is a virtual space in which today, Ruta N presented the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem to the participant cities, as a model to replicate in other territories. They also presented innovative solutions that have driven the city in the contingency caused by COVID-19, such as InspiraMED and Medellín Me Cuida. 

For Eleonora Betancur, executive director of the ACI Medellín, “being part of the ICC is an inspiring and challenging opportunity to advise other cities that have found our city model suitable and at the same time learn from other successful models in Europe. This will involve taking part in the supporting activities regarding the topics in which Medellín is strongest, while at the same time being able to access knowledge exchange and conversation spaces with all the participating cities”.  

Informative context 

As an international mentor city, Medellín can access the following opportunities at the ICC: 

• Draw inspiration from the best international practices by learning how cities use advanced technologies to solve social and urban problems. 
• Turn strategies into high-impact actions, implementing short- and long-term projects in areas such as open data, local green agreements, renewable energy, among others. 
• Expand visibility, recognition and business opportunities for the city by becoming part of a recognized international community of innovative cities that contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals. 
• Use knowledge in new developments to become a regional model and help neighboring cities accelerate their transition to green and digital ecosystems. 

• Collaborate with highly developed international peers through “mentor lounge” activities, where experiences in innovative solutions are shared.  
• Promote successful solutions in the ICC Marketplace, allowing its application in other cities. Participating in technology fairs, hackathons and other European Union events that sow business opportunities with key cities. 

Reactivating the economy, creating new, green jobs in businesses that protect the environment, Medellin becoming a Software Valley for the world and focusing on STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), were some of the main points highlighted by mayor Daniel Quintero a new encounter with the C40 network recovery task force, that gathered 96 leaders from around the world.

The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group connects 96 of the biggest cities around the world to undertake bold climatic action, that will lead the way towards a healthy and sustainable future.

The Recovery Task Force mid-term report was presented during this meeting: “C40 Mayors’ Agenda on what a Green and Just Recovery means”, made by the 11 mayors that form the recovery board for COVID-19, C40’s “Global Mayors COVID-19 Recovery Task Force”.

The report is focused on three interest areas:

• Jobs and an Inclusive Economy: The speedy creation of new jobs, supporting essential workers and allowing a just transition.
• Resilience and Equity: providing municipal utilities for all, focusing on a just society and a strong economy, resilient to future shocks.
• Health and Wellbeing: returning spaces to people and nature; rethinking and reclaiming our streets, cleaning our air and creating local and habitable communities.

“As C40 mayors, we must act as entrepreneurial governments, taking initiative in the creation of new and good green jobs, supporting and recognizing essential workers and ensuring that needed skills and training are available so that workers -in particular those in polluting industries- can pass on directly into employments opportunities in sectors of the future” said Quintero during the session.

For the executive director of ACI Medellin, Eleonora Betancur, “it is an honor that Medellin’s mayor was the representative for this meeting on inclusive employment, presenting the strategy implemented by the city before 96 mayors from around the world. In addition, the report that will delivered will become a guide for the momentum needed for Medellin’s recovery after the crisis caused by COVID-19”.

Informative context:

In April of 2020, the mayors that form part of C40 launched the Global Mayors COVID-19 Recovery Task Force, with the goal of achieving an economic and social recovery from COVID-19, that will allow people to go back to their jobs, preventing climate collapse from becoming an even greater crisis and stopping global economy.

The mid-term report displays the collective vision of mayors on behalf of a green and just recovery and the values shared to achieve this, including the measures taken by cities and that will continue to be taken, the actions from the whole C40 network and their calling to national and regional governments and financial institutions. This report will be available to the public as of July 15th.

Medellín has wagered on the modernization of the public transport system in order to motivate its use over private vehicles, reduce travel times and contribute to sustainable mobility and environmental care.

Every day, citizens of the world seek greater connectivity and information in real time to make good use of public transportation and, thus, plan their time better. In Medellín, the application of technology to improve mobility processes is already a reality. A clear example of this is found in the execution of the Collective Transport System (TPM, for its acronym in Spanish) reorganization project. Intelligent Bus Stops were implemented and have information panels with numbers, names, lines and route maps with authorized stops. They also include the most relevant points in the routes and their estimated arrival time at each one of the bus stops. Also, they have braille plaques for non-seeing travelers.

TPMED, the official smart device app for public transport and mobility in Medellín is another good use of technology so that citizens can depend on clear, precise and verified data and can plan and program their trips. Travelers can access maps of the city’s transport means with routes and stops, trajectories from one point to another, as well as amounts and times, in order to make decisions at the time of their move.

“To think of Medellín is to think about what is possible. It’s thinking about public transportation, in the Metrocable, in the Tram, in social inclusion. Is to think about challenges turned into opportunities.”. 

President of the Inter-American Development Bank (Idb)

Like the Metro, Metrocable and the Tram, the totality of the integrated bus routes were added to the electronic payment system, another good example of the use of technology in mobility processes. Users can access all the transport services the Metro system offers by paying with their “tarjeta Cívica” and with no need for cash, saving users approximately COP 80,000 a month.

As part of its wager for more environmentally responsible mobility, the city has implemented modern technology on 4,426 traffic lights, which reduce energy consumption by 20%. A lesser caliber cable system of traffic lights that in no way affects the quality of the service was implemented. This new technology, in addition to being environmentally friendly, reduces maintenance costs and product waste. The challenge for 2020 is for all traffic lights of Medellín to be low-energy consumption.

In order to carry out this great strategy of placing technology at the service of mobility, a consensus effort among the key system actors is necessary: Área Metropolitana del Valle
de Aburrá, the Empresa de Seguridad Urbana (ESU), TIGO-EPM providing internet service
and connectivity, CAS Mobiliario – for bus stops and agent responsible for the installation, adaptation, maintenance and reposition of urban furniture – and, of course, the Medellín Secretariat of Mobility, as well as the collective public transportation companies.

Electric Mobility at the Service of Public Transportation

Today, Medellín enjoys the first mass transit system in Colombia with 30 natural gas vehicles, 65 electric buses and 47 gas fueled buses. The use of clean fuels allows for sustainable urban planning and a better air quality.

These vehicles run lines 1 and 2 of the BRT system and the new Avenida 80 line, from the La Palma station of the Metroplus, to the Caribe station of the Metro, one that will connect public and private universities in this corridor. The new fleet will contribute to the reduction of at least 7,000 tons of emissions of carbon dioxide in the air.

Also, the Medellín Mayor’s Office is promoting the acquisition of 1,500 public service vehicles with electric technology during the next three years. To reach this goal, city administration opened a registration platform, so that gasoline taxi owners register and receive a bonus to exchange their cabs for zero emission vehicles. Results are happening: the first electric taxis began traveling the city in September of 2019.

Technologies for improvement of mobility in Medellín

• Physical and technological adaptation of 383 intelligent bus stops with user information
• Public transportation systems for citizens through a mobile app for cell phones and intelligent bus stops
• Platform for the Fleet Management and Control System to generate content directed toward information transmission that is projected on LED screens and apps in mobile devices
• These new technologies benefit inhabitants and visitors in Medellín, as well as public transport companies
  for the optimization of processes and routes.

Cooperation with South Korea

In June of 2018, the Korean Minister of Territory, Infrastructure and Transportation, Paek Seung Gun, and the Medellín Mayor, Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga, signed a letter for the exchange of cooperation with the aim of carrying out a project of Urban Transport Improvement. As a result of this process, the city received the highest amount of cooperation resources ever given in its history, USD 12.5 million, in November of 2018.

For the implementation of this project, both the Medellín Mayor’s Office and the Korean Government have worked on three fronts:

1. Construction and improvement of an integrated traffic information center among the Metro system, the Empresa de Seguridad Urbana and the Mobility Secretariat.
2. Implementation of a pilot project for the management of regulated and systemized vehicular parking.
3. Development of intelligent transportation training program for employees of the Secretariat of Mobility.

Guided by the Presidential Agency for Cooperation of Colombia – APC Colombia, and under Colombia’s South-South Cooperation strategy with Africa, a delegation made up of delegates from Kenya, Ghana, and Ethiopia visited Medellín.

A delegation made up of 3 officials from national and local governments of African countries visits Colombia to learn about best practices related to the use of bicycles as a means of urban transport.

The mission was interested in knowing the implementation process of bicycles as a means of transportation, and how Medellín managed to promote healthy lifestyle habits through this program. The delegation held meetings in which the EnCicla public bicycle system, the Metro System, and INDER’s Healthy and Active Roads strategy were the main focus.

“I want to see what happens here in Medellin and how the city managed to do it. Our purpose is to implement similar programs in our city, and make cycling a form of transport and healthy training,” said Kejela Mekonen, leader of the pedestrians and cyclists strategy in the Office of Transportation Administration of Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia.

ACI Medellín participated in the visit as the guarantor of the South-South cooperation exercise between the capital of Antioquia and the African cities.

Newsweek recognized Medellín as one of the 25 smartest cities in the world in a ceremony held on October 22 at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta -United States-..

According to the Newsweek publication, 25 cities are the smartest of the world. Among Latin Americans, Medellín shares this recognition with Quito (Ecuador)..

The American media recognized the capital of Antioquia during the event called Momentum Awards 2019 for its advances in mobility, urban design, and technology at the service of citizens. The publication highlighted the social and urban transformation of the city after its violent past, and how today, it tilts its efforts towards science, technology, and innovation from its government plans.

“These are the cities that take action, and whose ongoing projects represent a real change for their population. Whether they integrate sustainable infrastructure, adopt intelligent approaches to mobility or use big data analysis to manage their legislative policies by improving the reality of the territory. Each city is doing something bold and unique” stated Nancy Cooper, Global editor in chief of Newsweek.

Newsweek is one of the most recognized magazines in the world with more than eight decades of trajectory, in which it has focused its efforts on telling stories so that readers understand the world we currently.

“This is the most successful forum of mayors of them all” the executive director of the Center for Liveable Cities of Singapore, Khoo Teng Chye, said. “It’s been three incredible days. This is a very enriching experience which shows why Medellín was worthy of the Lee Kuan Yew Award. The city has shown the world its true face, a project characterized by citizen participation and social investment,” the director said.

300 leaders from 80 cities attended the summit which left new cooperation alliances, half a million dollars in economic benefits and the promotion of the transformation of Medellín in the international media.

In the 10th Mayors Forum of the World Cities Summit, the leaders signed a declaration where they commit to working for habitable and sustainable cities.

The tour on the commune 13 was full of expressions of admiration from the mayors and delegates participating in the World Cities Summit. Far from the protocol, they enjoyed music, art, gastronomy, and expressions of affection from the people of Medellín. The language was not a barrier to spontaneous conversations.

As requested by the mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga, the Summit was also lived in the streets and with the citizens as a way to address the central theme of the meeting: the building of trust in the institutions from the projects of urban and social transformation.

“We want to thank the people of Medellín for being such great hosts. This meeting is a recognition of the city, its people, and its communities. As one of the mayors said, Medellín is a city with lots of charisma, and today we can say that we are in line with the global trend of building trust through citizen culture and inclusion,” said the local leader.

New cooperation alliances

Mayor Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga held meetings with his peers from Bilbao, Jakarta, Singapore, and Seoul; he signed a memorandum of understanding on sustainable mobility and economic development with the latter, which will give continuity to the work being done with the Ministry of Transport of South Korea and the largest international cooperation that Medellín has received to improve technology in sustainable mobility.

There were also parallel events such as the 30 young leader’s symposium; the session of the C40 group on sustainable mobility; the meeting of Asocapitales and the forum on technology and innovation of Ruta N, in addition to seven business rounds.

300 people of high political and institutional level from 80 cities around the world, including Seoul, Moscow, Jakarta, Delhi, Doha, South Miami, Panama, Chapeco, and Bilbao attended the event.60% of the international delegation comes from Asia and Africa.

The economic benefit for the city was half a million dollars. Occupation of 65% was registered in the hotels in which the visitors stayed, specifically due to the World Cities Summit.

Diverse cities with common challenges

Despite the geographical and cultural differences, the concerns of large cities are common: climate change, transport, public infrastructure, waste management, environmental sustainability, public services, joint work with citizens and the construction of trust.

In this sense, the leaders participating in the 10th Mayors Forum of the World Cities Summit signed a declaration where they commit to working for livable and sustainable cities to achieve public trust.

One of the main conclusions has to do with the responsibility of cities when taking action against climate change, promoting public and private transport systems with zero emissions and incorporating clean fuels.

This afternoon the participants of the Summit toured the Center of Medellín, the tramway of Ayacucho, and the Metrocable La Sierra. There, they will be able to witness the environmental urbanism implemented in the city and that which has allowed the decrease of the temperature in the city, as well as the reduction of emissions to the environment, thanks to the clean transport systems.

Medellín will be present at the next Summit to be held in Singapore on June 2020.

During the World Cities Summit held in Medellín, Mayor Federico Gutierrez calls for Latin American cities to embrace zero-emission transport and lead the world on climate action.

Mr. Federico Gutierrez, Mayor of Medellin, said: “Our citizens have the right to breathe cleaner and healthier air. We, as mayors, are entrusted with the responsibility to work for the reduction of pollutant agents emissions in our territories. This is an invitation to all Latin American cities to join us on this journey. So together, we implement zero-emissions transportation systems and strategies that lead s to a cleaner future.”

This call to action comes as Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Santiago, Chile announced their commitment to the C40 Green and Healthy Streets Declaration. The cities join 27 others including Medellín, Quito and Mexico City in committing to procure only zero-emission buses from 2025 and ensure that a major area of the city is zero emission by 2030. The policies are designed to fight air pollution, improve the quality of life for all citizens, and help take more climate action.

If all C40 cities meet the commitments of the Green & Healthy Streets Declaration and encourage more people out of their cars, it could prevent more than 45,000 premature deaths each year.

64 new electric buses will be on the streets of Medellín by August 2019, creating the largest fleet of electric buses in Colombia.

Santiago de Chile is already a world leader in electric transport, now home to over 200 zero-emissions buses on the streets of the Metropolitan Region and with 183 more due to be introduced in August.

In Rio, transport is responsible for one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions and over 75% of the highly dangerous pollutants in the air that cause lung and heart disease, early deaths and hospital admissions. Taking action on transport in Rio will vastly improve the public health of citizens and ensure their right to breathe clean air in the city.

Mark Watts, C40 Executive Director, said:
“Air pollution caused by petrol and diesel vehicles is responsible for the early deaths of millions of people in cities around the world. Emissions from these vehicles are also contributing to the climate crisis that threatens us all. By committing to the Green and Healthy Streets Declaration Medellin, Rio and Santiago are ensuring a healthier and more sustainable future for their citizens and contributing to the global leadership of mayors in fighting climate breakdown.”

Alongside the WCS, the City of Medellín in partnership with C40 Cities and Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative (TUMI) will host a workshop for city officials to explore how cities can deliver sustainable mobility and zero-emission areas in their cities.

C40 Cities is working with other Latin American cities to address climate change, including in Bogotá, where the C40 Cities Finance Facility is working with the city to create a brand new ‘Quinto Centenario’ Bikeway, stretching 25 km and supporting 34,000 bicycle trips during peak hours. Investment in cycling in Bogotá has resulted in more than 150,000 extra trips by bike every day in 2018. Over the past two years, the city’s network of bike lanes has increased by 80km.

Notes:

About the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group
Around the world, C40 Cities connects 96 of the world’s greatest cities to take bold climate action, leading the way towards a healthier and more sustainable future. Representing 700+ million citizens and one-quarter of the global economy, mayors of the C40 cities are committed to delivering on the most ambitious goals of the Paris Agreement at the local level, as well as to cleaning the air we breathe. The current chair of C40 is Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, and three-term Mayor of New York City Michael R. Bloomberg serves as President of the Board, and the Mayor of Medellín, Mr. Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga is a member of the Board and one of the Representatives of Latin America. C40’s work is made possible by our three strategic funders: Bloomberg Philanthropies, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), and Realdania.

To learn more about the work of C40 and our cities, please visit our website.

Executive Director of Singapur’s Centre For Liveable Cities Khoo Teng Chye and The Mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutiérrez, officially inagurated the World Cities Summit Mayors Forum that will be held in the city with the participation of over 200 leaders from all regions of the world.

According to the representative of Singapore, Khoo Teng Chye, the mayors and leaders attending the Forum will discuss the main urban challenges and share the best practices of their governments, all which help to build trust in cities and institutions, and how cities must plan economic and environmental security.

The event will bring together over 200 participants from around the world, including mayors, city leaders, and senior leaders from the industry and international organisations, with representatives from all regions of the world.

“We are very happy to hold the tenth edition of the Forum in this city that is an example of social innovation for the world. I know that many of us will be surprised by the level of development that Medellín has achieved in the last 20 years. We could not have chosen a better city for this meeting”, added Khoo Teng Chye, Executive Director for Singapore’s Centre for Liveable Cities.

Mayor Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga highlighted the importance of the Mayors Forum that will allow Medellín to continue working hand in hand with other mayors of the world to have cities with a better quality of life.

“We are the cities that have to take on the most important actions in the face of the main global challenges that the planet has today. Today the most important is climate change. There are 1’961,969 cities in the world and most of the climate change summits are attended only by heads of state. But it is from the local level where actions must be generated to positively impact air quality and reduce pollution and deforestation”, said Mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga.

During the Forum, participants will learn about the urban and social transformation of Medellín through the tours of Comune 13 San Javier, Comune 10 La Candelaria and Comune 8 Villa Hermosa.

“The relationship with Singapore is a long-term relationship that we will continue to strengthen. This meeting is not only important for the city but also for the country and the entire region. Investors have been looking for opportunities in our country”, added Mayor Gutiérrez Zuluaga.

It is expected that the central and parallel events generate advances both in international cooperation for the city and for businessmen, and future commercial agreement opportunities. There will be delegations from cities around the world, especially from Asia; and there will be prominent businessmen with whom there will be seven business rounds.

Participants of the Forum will get to know Medellín’s social and urban transformation by visiting some of the city’s comunes.

Within the framework of the World Cities Summit, held in Medellín from July 10 to 12, the artist Sun Yu-li makes a gift to the city: 16 totems and a mural in the corridor of Calle 10. The artistic construction of the works will involve the participation of 10 children of the Bueno Comienzo Program and young members of the Youth Ministry programs.

The artist has expressed his interest in making this experience an opportunity to connect Medellín and Singapore as cities which seek to positively impact the lives of their citizens.

One of the main activities of the World Cities Summit will be the gift of the Singaporean artist, Sun Yu-li, to Medellín, a beautiful legacy of his artistic production evoking the ties that connect Singapore and Medellín as flagship cities in Asia and Latin America for its urban and social development.

The artist will work with children and young people from Medellín to interact with them and make this experience an essential seal of both cities as a legacy of this World Summit.

Sun Yu-li will work in the following spaces and places:

• Tuesday, July 9 from 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.Calle 10, El Poblado.
• Wednesday, July 10 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Plaza Mayor Medellín.
• Thursday, July 11 from 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Mural Delivery Ceremony on the 10th.

Brief bio.

Sun Yu-Li is an architect at the Tung-Hai University of Taiwan, Master of Architecture at the Catholic University of America and Master of Urban Planning at the University of Illinois, United States. He is a member of the Board of the International Young Artists Exchange (IYAE), director of the Square of Sculptures in Singapore and advisor to the Sculpture Society of Singapore since 2001.

The 30 Green Corridors project won at the 2019 Ashden Awards in the category Cooling for People for its contributions to improve the thermal sensation of Medellín. This is the first time Ashden opens this category, an to do it, they joined world-renowned organizations such as Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program (K-CEP) and Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL).

The Agency for Cooperation and Investment of Medellín and the Metropolitan Area – ACI Medellín together with the Secretariats of Environment and Physical Infrastructure, led the application process for the award, thus contributing to the international positioning of Medellín and its best practices.

Ashden is a British charity which defends and supports sustainable energy leaders to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon world. On June 26, they recognized the 30 Green Corridors project as the absolute winner in the category Cooling for People through its social networks.

The award ceremony will be held within the framework of the first Week of Climate Action in London on July 3 at the Royal Geographical Society. Mary Robinson, the first woman to hold the presidency of Ireland and defender of human rights associated with the concept of climate justice, will preside the event.

The 30 Green Corridors project was selected for its contribution to the relief of heat stress in the city and it stood out from other world experiences such as Addis Ababa (Capital of Ethiopia) and the City of Singapore.

“Medellín is a city which has overcome countless challenges. At this moment, caring for the environment and our air quality are two crucial issues we are facing. Structural solutions such as the Green Corridors are a strong commitment to improving the lives of our citizens. We are very excited that Ashden selected us and to be a benchmark for sustainability for the world,” said the Mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga.

About Green Corridors:

The project consists of planting trees, shrubs, palms, and green cover in an environmental network which connects: streams, hills, parks, and roads.
The Green Corridors are part of the strategy A greener Medellín for you, which consolidates an ecological network consisting of 18 roadways, 12 river basins and the Nutibara, El Volador and La Asomadera hills.
The Green Corridors offer a variety of ecosystem services, among which are the following:

•  An estimated reduction up to 2°C of the environment temperature.
•  The decrease of the heat island effect.
•  The capture of particulate matter, improving air quality.
•  The improvement of conditions for the conservation of biodiversity and the increase in the types of flora species.
•  The consolidation of an ecological network which allows the generation of new city scenarios, through the recovery and programmed sowing, the greening and modeling of the landscape within the framework of the man – ecosystem relationship.
•  The prioritization of the safety of pedestrians facilitating their mobility on crosswalks through planters and sidewalks.

Between June 4 and 5, Medellín hosted the third Latin American Meeting on Sustainable Mobility Latam Mobility Summit 2019. This event was attended by more than 450 Latin American leaders. They discussed and designed strategies for the future of mobility in the region.

Betting on comprehensive electric mobility which involves different public and private actors is one of the goals of Medellín towards the implementation of environmentally friendly transportation systems.

Latam Mobility was the ideal stage for Medellín to present, from the voice of its mayor, how the city conceives mobility from the perspectives of sustainability and social inclusion: “the future of cities depends on how we move and, in that sense, Medellín understood that besides physical infrastructure and the use of clean technologies, public transport systems allow transforming territories with social investment,” the mayor said.

The city aims to privilege pedestrians and promote the use of bicycles; to the modernization of public transport and the use of clean technologies.

The local leader highlighted the vision of Medellín, that of becoming the capital of electric mobility in Latin America and its link to the international network of cities C40 (Climate Leadership Group), for which he serves as vice president for his leadership in climate change.

Latam Mobility Summit 2019, also featured presentations by prominent public representatives such as the Minister of Mines and Energy of Colombia, María Fernanda Suárez and the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Ricardo Lozano. Likewise, executives of companies from the energy and automotive sectors and experts in sustainable mobility met in panels to address this issue and strengthen business synergies for the development of Colombian and Latin American cities.

The organizers of Latam Mobility confirmed their interest in returning to Medellín by 2020.

The capital of Antioquia will host the 3rd Latin American Meeting of Sustainable Mobility, the Latam Mobility Summit 2019. The mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutiérrez and the Minister of Mines and Energy of Colombia, María Fernanda Suárez will be present at the event.

More than 60 national and international entities support the event, such as UN Environment, ProColombia, FIA, FIM, and ACI Medellín, among others.

According to the UN, ” transport produces a quarter of gas emissions that cause climate change. Which is why the development of sustainable mobility systems will be crucial to meet the 2030 Agenda and its 17 objectives.” Based on this, nearly 300 Latin American leaders will meet to discuss and design strategies for the future of mobility in the region at the Latam Mobility Summit 2019 event, on June 4 and 5 at the Orquideorama of Medellín’s Botanical Garden.

“Medellín is a growing city which developed innovative solutions to face the problems of drug trafficking and became the 1st city of Colombia to have a metro system. Also, it is one of the pioneering cities in the promotion of electric vehicles in the region.” The organizers expressed when investigating the reasons to choose Medellín as hosting city.

More than 100 speakers from the public and private sectors will address issues such as investment in infrastructure, improving public transport conditions, technological innovation, electric mobility, road safety, and mobile applications, among others.

To learn more about Latam Mobility Summit 2019 visit the website: Latam Mobility.

The Future Mobility Congress developed by the Medellín Mayor’s Office together with the EAFIT University, the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities and the Despacio research center, presented the main challenges of the city in this area. The event was the opportunity to show the role of Medellín as a city committed to the implementation of innovative and inclusive mobility options and the exchange of meaningful experiences.

Presentation by the mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga.

Pursuing its goal of becoming the Latin American capital of electric mobility by 2030, the Medellín Mayor’s Office and its Mobility Secretariat, carried out the first Future Mobility Congress on April 2, 2019, at Plaza Mayor conventions center.

The Secretary of Mobility of Medellín, Humberto Iglesias said: “Our goal of becoming the Latin American capital of electric mobility is not about ego or vanity, but because we want to strongly commit to improving the air quality of our city.”

The Congress showcased panelists and lecturers from Chile, Holland, Russia, and Colombia; and addressed not only the electrical dimension of mobility but the orientation towards a comprehensive look on road safety, efficiency, and care of the environment.

“Medellín is an example of how a city faces its problems and exercises leadership in the world. Few cities have made such transcendental and concrete decisions as Medellín, that of reducing their emissions and improving mobility,” said Manuel Olivera, Climate Leadership Group C40 Regional Manager Latin America chapter and speaker of the Congress.

The 30 Green Corridors project has been chosen as one of the four projects in the long list of the Ashden 2019 Awards in the “Cooling for People” category for its contributions to improve the thermal sensation of Medellín. This is the first time Ashden opens this category, for which they joined world-renowned organizations such as Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program (K-CEP) and Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL).

The Medellín Mayor’s Office presented this initiative as a product of the articulated work of the Secretariats of Environment and Physical Infrastructure. The Agency for Cooperation and Investment of Medellín and the Metropolitan Area – ACI Medellín, together with these secretariats, led the application process for the award, contributing to the international positioning of Medellín and its best practices.

Ashden, a UK non-profit organization which defends and supports sustainable energy leaders in the quick transition to a low-carbon world, recognizes the 30 Green Corridors project in the version of its 2019 award as one of the finalists in the Cooling for People category.

The 30 Green Corridors project was chosen for its contribution to the relief of heat stress in the city. It stands out together with other global experiences with innovative approaches in urban areas such as Addis Ababa (Capital of Ethiopia) and the City of Singapore. See the article published by Ashden.

The Awards were established in 2001 and are recognized worldwide as a mark of excellence in the field of green energy. The awards ceremony will be held in London on July 3 as part of the first London Climate Action Week.

“Medellín is a city which has overcome countless challenges. At this moment, caring for the environment and our air quality are two crucial issues we are facing. Structural solutions such as the Green Corridors are a strong commitment to improving the lives of our citizens. We are very excited about Medellín’s nomination to the Ashden Awards,” said the Mayor of Medellín, Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga.

Green Corridors is presented as an example of sustainability

In line with this news, during the fourth meeting of the Urban Greenup project, held in Brussels, Belgium the progress in greening actions, the establishment of corridors and green walls, and changing hard floors to soft ones was exalted.

The project, funded by the UN’s Horizon 2020 program, aims at the development, application, and replication of Urban Renaturing Plans in several European and non-European cities (8 in total). Its purpose is to mitigate the effects of climate change to improve air quality and water management, as well as increase the sustainability of participating cities through innovative solutions based on nature.

“Green Corridors was gladly received. None of the participating cities showed physical advances in their projects. They all showed planning in their territories, but Medellín was the only city that demonstrated the execution of the projects. With our example, they realized that they can do things,” said Secretary of Environment, Sergio Andrés Orozco Escobar.

About Green Corridors

The project consists of planting trees accompanied by shrubs, palms and green cover in an environmental network which connects streams, hills, parks, and roads. During its execution, 8,800 trees and palms have been planted with an investment of 49 billion pesos.

The Green Corridors are part of the strategy A greener Medellín for you, which consolidates an ecological network consisting of 18 roadways, 12 river basins and the Nutibara, El Volador and La Asomadera hills.
The Green Corridors offer a variety of ecosystem services, among which are the following:

• An estimated reduction up to 2°C of the environment temperature.
• The decrease in the heat island effect.
• The capture of particulate matter, improving air quality.
• The improvement of conditions for the conservation of biodiversity and the increase in the types of flora species.
• The consolidation of an ecological network which allows the generation of new city scenarios, through the recovery and programmed sowing, the greening and modeling of the landscape within the framework of the man – ecosystem relationship.
• The prioritization of the safety of pedestrians facilitating their mobility on crosswalks through planters and sidewalks.