Bogotá Council declared a climate emergency to mitigate global warming crisis

In a movement with no precedent in the recent history of the council, the initiative presented by the Councilor Susana Muhamad, of the Human Colombia movement, which seeks to build a legal tool that allows the city to face the global warming crisis in the short and medium term.

The agreement, made up of 11 articles and 10 mandates for its implementation by the District Administration, was approved with 34 votes in favor in the plenary session of the corporation. According to Muhamad, the climate emergency is necessary for the reduction of greenhouse gases, protection of water resources, bio-food security and the transition to renewable energies in the capital of the republic.

Aware of the optimal processing of the articles, Mayor Claudia López stated on Twitter that what was done by the council consists of “In a historic decision, Bogotá is the first city in Latin America to recognize and declare a climate emergency through a shared decision of the Council and the Mayor’s Office”, and I add, “we give ourselves 10 clear mandates to transform ourselves and face the consequences of climate change “.

The initiative, which awaits the sanction of López, coincides with the global public discussion on renewable energy and alternative uses of water resources that it assumes will lead the administration of the elected president Joe Biden in the United States. Retail, what is approved by the council has 11 articles, in which 10 mandates and 40 strategies are established that this administration and the next two must follow with the objective of mitigating the impact of climate change as well as generating environmental awareness among citizens.

These mandates to which López will adhere are: land use planning around water and socio-ecosystems; protection of the main ecological structure and biodiversity, promotion of food sovereignty and security. The agreement also contemplates the energy transition and reduction of greenhouse gases; prevention and care for health risks in climate change; comprehensive waste management with social inclusion for the climate crisis; solidarity economy; education and participation for a new environmental ethics, scientific innovation and ecourbanism.

In other specific actions, Muhamad highlighted that since 2022 the integrated public transport system has prohibited the purchase of vehicles that use fossil fuels; as well as him The council will demand from the operators a strategic plan with a view to mitigating the carbon footprint of vehicles in 2021. There will also be special attention to the use and management of soil and water in the Chingaza sector and the planning and execution of an alternate route for waste management in Doña Juana, the landfill that receives more than 100 tons of waste per day from the city.

Among the civic measures, the “meatless day“, With the intention of raising awareness about healthy eating and focusing on healthy practices around animal rights. The emergency call had the support of the mayor and the staff of the district secretariats. For Muhamad, in his first term as councilor, the realistic part of the agreement is yet to come: “The City Council and citizens today fulfilled the generation that was already born in this century, the children and young people who know that if we do not act in these 10 years, there will be no future for them”.

November will be a key month for the Colombian oil industry

Attention: these will be the towns that will not have electricity or water service in Bogotá

Colombia will participate in the Cycle of Indigenous Cinema Online of the Pacific Alliance