Bogotá has signed the C40’s Urban Nature Declaration alongside 31 other cities. This creates an unforeseen opportunity to adapt, create greener and more resilient territories, and alleviate the effects of climate change.
Good news! Bogotá joined the Declaration of Urban Nature by @C40cities along with 30 other cities, and advances in its commitment to address the climate crisis and increase environmental spaces. pic.twitter.com/ZTXeI4WVN2
— Relaciones Internacionales Bogotá (@BogotaInter_nal) July 19, 2021Contenidos relacionados
Bogotá is taking steps toward generating more green areas throughout the city, this means more parks and forests. At the same time, preserving the spaces that we already have by restoring where necessary and expanding wherever possible. On top of this, steps are being taken towards the implementation of a Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) so that, among other things, permeable spaces can be designed to absorb water and prevent flooding.
The importance of public projects like this cannot be underestimated. More parks and green zones mean more places for the public to benefit and improve their quality of life. This certainly comes as a welcome relief after such a difficult year of social distancing.
“Signing this declaration shows this Administration's commitment to clean up the air and streets from fossil fuels. Our Climate Action Plan represents an ambitious roadmap that spans over the course of the next 30 years. With the clear objective in mind to adapt when it comes to climate change. Expanding green areas has the extended benefit of bringing people together and enriching each other. This government works tirelessly to improving the environmental conditions of the capitol,” stated the Secretary for the Environment, Carolina Urrutia.
Evidence of this is the environmental component of the Spatial Development Plan, which consists of ten proposals that map out a verdant, orderly growth. Preserving what we have and expanding wherever we see the opportunity aligns with the balance that The Director of International Relations, Luz Amparo Medina is trying to create. “On behalf of Bogotá, we are steadfast in our vision for a more caring, inclusive, sustainable and conscious city. With this clear in our minds, Climate Action becomes an articulating component of all the actions that we carry out for our city. And so, we are committed to working on this initiative and becoming an example of sustainable development for the region.”
The C40 Declaration of Urban Nature proposes an initiative that not only encompasses goals that benefit the greater public, but also promotes an environmental roadmap that stretches into the long-term to benefit generations to come. Mandates like the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals have wide-ranging benefits that underline the importance of building equitable and resilient cities, inclusive economies, and healthy communities.
Objectives for the short and medium term
In the short term, Bogotá will work to promote green jobs and thus achieve a sustainable economic re-activation. Similarly, the capital will seek the following: to identify risks and vulnerability to climate change; table clear and feasible objectives related to the Climate Action Plan and to strengthen access to financing.
In five years, Bogotá must be well its way to preserving or improving green public spaces in vulnerable areas, completing the inventory of the flora in the city in the hopes of raising awareness about the value of nature and thus reducing climate risks, finally, but no least of which, is to develop programmes or practices that encourage the participation of all walks of society.
31 cities stand with Bogota in signing this declaration: Athens, Austin, Barcelona, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Copenhagen, Curitiba, Durban, Freetown, Guadalajara, Haifa, Lima, London, Los Angeles, Medellín, Milan, Mumbai, New Orleans, Paris, Quezon, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, Rotterdam, Salvador, Seattle, Stockholm, Sydney, Tel Aviv, Tokyo and Toronto.
The C40 city network is the Climate Leadership Group made up of approximately 90 who are committed to adopting sustainable measures and strategies that mitigate the climate crisis.
