Hi all, If you’d like to learn about inspiring examples of sustainable cities, look no further than Medellín, Colombia. Medellín is the second largest city in the nation, and at one time was a haven for drug trafficking and violence. The city’s officials made many wise choices with respect to urban development so today, the city is transformed and has garnered worldwide attention for its sustainability efforts. There are two main areas in which they have accomplished change. One is with their green corridors, and the other is with a sustainable transportation system. This forum post will focus on their efforts with green corridors. One of the biggest problems that Medellín faced as a city was a huge increase in private car ownership, which contributed to an urban heat island effect that warmed the city. The city’s officials recognized that buildings and roads were absorbing and retaining too much heat. This increased warming and the air pollution that accompanied it were identified as problems that needed to be solved. In response to public pressure, the city’s government took action in 2016 by investing in a $16.3 million “green corridors” program. They began connecting newly-greened roadways, vertical gardens, streams, parks, hills and other natural areas. The project initially involved planting 120,000 plants and 12,500 trees along streets and in parks. By 2021, that number increased to 2.5 million plants and 880,000 trees planted across the city. The green corridors concept was to connect green spaces throughout the city together through streets that are surrounded by trees and shade.
As a result of the 30 green corridors that were built across Medellín, the city saw a remarkable temperature decrease of more than 2 degrees Celsius (before and after measures were taken). The city’s mayor said that the citizens can feel the difference in temperature. It is these results specifically that have contributed to Medellin’s international recognition as a sustainable city. Besides this significant cooling effect, air quality improved and city residents noted that wildlife began returning to the city. There were also social benefits to the project, as organizers hired vulnerable people displaced by armed conflict in Colombia to be full-time gardeners. Medellín aims to be Latin America’s first ‘eco-city’. The government plans to reduce carbon emissions by 20% and electrify all public transport by 2030. With 30 green corridors built and a new sustainable transport system, they are well on their way. For more information about Medellín’s green corridor transformation, read the BBC’s article here. To read my post about Medellín’s innovative sustainable transport system, scroll down to the Transportation section of the forums.
As a result of the 30 green corridors that were built across Medellín, the city saw a remarkable temperature decrease of more than 2 degrees Celsius (before and after measures were taken). The city’s mayor said that the citizens can feel the difference in temperature. It is these results specifically that have contributed to Medellin’s international recognition as a sustainable city. Besides this significant cooling effect, air quality improved and city residents noted that wildlife began returning to the city. There were also social benefits to the project, as organizers hired vulnerable people displaced by armed conflict in Colombia to be full-time gardeners. Medellín aims to be Latin America’s first ‘eco-city’. The government plans to reduce carbon emissions by 20% and electrify all public transport by 2030. With 30 green corridors built and a new sustainable transport system, they are well on their way. For more information about Medellín’s green corridor transformation, read the BBC’s article here. To read my post about Medellín’s innovative sustainable transport system, scroll down to the Transportation section of the forums.
