It’s happening here, ‘Bogotá, My City, My Home’ has been selected as a finalist for The Earthshot Prize 2025, one of the world’s most prestigious environmental awards founded by Prince William to spotlight innovative solutions that help repair our planet.
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The Colombian capital was recognized in the category “Clean Our Air” for the success of its long-term sustainable policies and its consistent environmental leadership across multiple city administrations.
Home to 7.9 million residents, Bogotá joins a global coalition of cities driving climate action and inspiring others to build a cleaner, more sustainable future. Over the last two decades, the city has transformed its approach to air quality—once one of its biggest challenges—through bold public policies and community-led initiatives.
Between 1998 and 2005, Bogotá faced critical levels of air pollution, with particulate matter concentrations seven times higher than the limits set by the World Health Organization. In response, city leaders launched an ambitious transformation plan that continues today. Since 2018, Bogotá has reduced fine particulate matter by 24%, even as its population continues to grow.
Key achievements include:
- Latin America’s largest cycling network, reclaiming city streets for pedestrians and cyclists.
- One of the world’s largest fleets of electric buses outside China, with 1,486 already in operation and 680 more to arrive by 2027.
- Construction of Metro Line 1 (to open in 2028) and three new aerial cable lines, expanding clean public transport.
- A long-term regreening strategy that includes thousands of new trees, urban gardens, green roofs, and the creation of three new urban forests in the city’s southwest.
- Bogotá also launched ZUMA (Urban Zone for Clean Air) in Bosa, one of the city’s most polluted and vulnerable areas. Inspired by London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone, ZUMA integrates cleaner freight transport, new green spaces, and sustainable mobility options like walking and cycling. The city plans to replicate this model in other districts.
Stay tuned to @Bogota on X and the city’s official social media channels for updates and reactions about this global recognition.
¡Orgullo para Bogotá!
— Alcaldía de Bogotá (@Bogota) October 4, 2025
Nuestro compromiso con el medioambiente nos lleva a ser finalistas del premio ambiental más importante del mundo @EarthshotPrizepic.twitter.com/pnQSFNrz3A
“It’s inspiring to see Bogotá recognized for its journey from a city once struggling with air pollution to one now leading one of the region’s most ambitious initiatives in clean air, sustainable mobility, and climate action,” said Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán. “By 2028, we expect to avoid more than 300,000 tons of CO₂ per year—the equivalent of preserving a forest ten times the size of Manhattan or removing 65,000 cars from the road.”
Prince William highlighted the importance of global leadership in environmental innovation:
“The 15 finalists have solutions to some of the most complex challenges our planet faces. They remind us that bold ideas can come from anywhere and spark change everywhere. If we support them, we can make the world cleaner, safer, and full of opportunity—not only for future generations but for the lives we want to live now.”
Don't leave without consulting: With Breathe Cities, Bogotá Launches New Strategies for Air Quality
Watch the official nomination broadcast of The Earthshot Prize 2025, including Bogotá’s announcement as a finalist, on YouTube:
This year’s Earthshot Prize winners will be announced on November 5, 2025, during the official awards ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
*This article was created using information provided by the Bogotá’s International Relations Office and curated by a journalist from Portal Bogotá. For suggestions, questions, or more information, visit Bogotá Te Escucha: https://bogota.gov.co/sdqs/
