Medellín joins the invitation of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to launch the “Green Cities” initiative that will seek to integrate agriculture, forestry, fisheries and sustainable food systems in urban and peri-urban contexts.
This initiative is led by FAO, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Medellín joins the invitation of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to launch the “Green Cities” initiative that will seek to integrate agriculture, forestry, fisheries and sustainable food systems in urban and peri-urban contexts.
The virtual event was attended by the Mayor of Medellín, Daniel Quintero, who along with Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York, Giuseppe Sala of Milan, Wen Guohui of Guangzhou, Lucsonne Janvier of Port-au-Prince, among others, discussed the importance of improving people’s well-being by increasing the availability and access to products and services provided by green spaces and sustainable food systems.
The focus of action is on integrating agriculture, forestry, fisheries and sustainable food systems in urban and peri-urban contexts.
In his speech, Mayor Quintero stressed the importance of building a better, more sustainable, resilient, green and just society, seeing technology as a catalyst for change. Additional, he mentioned that Medellín is becoming an ecocity “with more and better green spaces, with safe and friendly housing, with efficient waste management systems, with agricultural models that improve the productivity of hamlets, and with smart urban equipment, capable of regulating energy costs and water, and their emissions of polluting gases”.
This plan will improve the livelihoods and well-being of urban and peri-urban populations in at least 100 cities around the world over the next three years, although 1,000 cities are expected to join by 2030.
Para Eleonora Betancur, directora ejecutiva de la ACI Medellín, “la invitación que nos hace las Naciones Unidas a través de
For Eleonora Betancur, Executive Director of ACI Medellín, “the invitation that the United Nations makes through the FAO to participate in this initiative, shows the importance that the city has in the eyes of the world in issues of sustainability and green cities. At ACI Medellín we continue to believe that much of the development of the city is thanks to cooperative actions with agencies that allow promoting projects and attracting international resources to improve the quality of life of citizens”.
Informative Context
The world is becoming an increasingly urbanized place. Currently, 55% of the world’s population resides in urban areas and by 2050 the urban population is expected to increase to 68%, mainly in low-income countries. Cities already consume almost 80% of the total energy produced in the world and consume up to 70% of the food supply. To address these challenges, cities are called upon to play a more active role in contributing to the efforts of national governments to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
For this reason, it is necessary to rethink how to plan urban and peri-urban areas so that cities become greener, more resilient and regenerative. In response to this need, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launches the “Green Cities” initiative, which builds on the Organization’s experience in integrating agriculture, forestry, fisheries and sustainable food systems in urban and peri-urban contexts.
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