Bogotá Mayor, Claudia López took part of the panel 'Our Last, Big Chance: Why Our Future Depends on Action Taken Today in The World's Cities.' There, Mayor López outlined the five concrete steps that her administration has taken to mitigate the impact of the escalating global climate crisis.
Mayor López opened things up by indicating that her city “Has recognized this emergency, we have listened to the scientific community and we have defined steps and policies based on clear-cut a scientific approach (..) That is why we have set specific goals in order to reach carbon-neutrality, this is the first point.”
Mayor López then went on to thank the C40 Cities and Bloomberg Philanthropies for their invaluable insight in defining a Climate Action Plan for the city of Bogotá. "Secondly," continued the mayor, "we have specific goals to reduce emissions by up to 50% by 2035. On top of that, we hope to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Nearly half of these emissions in Bogotá come from transport alone."
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Faced with the re-distribution of public spaces that must accommodate commuters, pedestrians, cyclists while providing a clean multi-modal transportation network. Mayor López recalled that the city spans across 560 kilometres of bike-path and the goal is to add over one thousand kilometres in the next few years. Bogotá is becoming more and more bike-friendly, boasting one of the longest bike-paths in the world, extending nearly 200 city blocks. Every day, more and more commuters are opting to go on bike, this is flow of people equivalent to the use that the first line of the Metro will have.”
The conversation then shifted to proper waste management and disposal, to which the mayor reported that she will work alongside the city of Stockholm. The Swedish capital is Europe's first green capital, this insight will be key for the transformation of organic waste into sustainable energy and a new approach on recycling.
As the night progressed, the mayor was keen to showcase the benefits that the Territorial Ordering Plan (POT) to the international community. Mayor López opens up on the importance of this approval by the Bogotá Council in December. “In 17 years, we haven’t been able to reach an agreement to consolidate climate goals and city projects. This POT has a new environmental approach, and it is a whole package that we want to have for Bogotá and the entire region.”
By the end of the evening, the mayor was full of praise for the commitment made by 1,049 cities (330 in Latin America and 15 in Colombia) to an ambitious climate action plan to achieve carbon neutrality. This assembly represents the largest union of local governments in the history of UNCOP (United Nations Conference on Climate Change).
"This is a human struggle, it is not only about carbon, it is not about statistics, it is about people, and it is only happening thanks to the fact that so many mayors of cities large and small have joined our efforts," said Eric Garcetti, president of C40 Cities.
Mr. Garcetti applauded the mayors of Bogotá, Paris, Stockholm and Phoenix (Arizona, USA) and described them as "champions" for their un-ending work in the Race to Zero. A global campaign to generate leadership. and establish support from businesses, cities, regions and investors for a healthy, resilient and carbon-free recovery that prevents future threats, creates direct jobs, and unlocks inclusive and sustainable growth.
The panel in which the Claudia Lopez participated was also attended by Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris; Kate Gallego, Mayor of Phoenix; and Mohammad Atiqul Islam, Mayor of North Dhaka (Bangladesh).
It is worth remembering that the C40 Cities is a Climate Leadership Group, made up of a group of cities that have assembled to reduce carbon emissions in the atmosphere and constantly find ways to adapt to climate change.
