mexico - a lesson in connected cities
Mexico City is all about the T’s: Tacos, Tequila and…..Traffic.
With over 22 million inhabitants it is one of the world’s largest and most complex megacities. I was curious about how its locals tackled the ESG agenda.
I visited Mexico City (CDMX) recently and admittedly had preconceptions around pollution, safety and connectivity. I believed I would encounter a place in need in development across these areas and yet, with the World Cup in its midst, a thriving digital nomad economy and of course a burgeoning streetfood scene, I found in fact CDMX could teach other cities a thing or two.
CDMX has implemented a range of initiatives to advance sustainability and social purpose, mobility, digital inclusion, and urban resilience. Although the UK for example leads in climate governance and infrastructure planning, several aspects of CDMX’s approach provide valuable insights—particularly in community-led programmes, inclusive mobility, and low-cost smart city integration.
1. Strengthened citizen-led urban communities:
Mexico City Community in Practice: Take for example the PILARES network of neighbourhood leaning and public spaces which supports deprived neighbourhoods with learning facilities. The UK benefit from similar ‘scaled up communities’ within local climate plans and residential neighbours hubs to support skills, creativity and social sustainability.
2. Prioritise inclusive, low-cost sustainable travel:
While crossing the street of a four carriage way intersection takes on a whole new meaning of popping over the road there is the Cablebús and Trolebús Elevado to connect isolated communities using low-emission, affordable transport helping to reduce the massive impact of driving into the city.
Could the Cablebus idea extend across UK to introduce introduce similar last-mile, low-emissions transit solutions for poorly connected outer suburbs and small towns?
The Metro is also extremely affordable for city locals. Topping up your travel card or using contactless will set you back 5 MXN or 0.21 GBP per trip. For local commuters, this doesn't break the bank and you can travel across the city.
3. Expand public digital inclusion:
CDMX has one of the world’s largest free public Wi-Fi networks, reducing digital inequality. I was struck by the amount of free WIFI signs across the city. Locals are enjoying a technological adoption likely brought on by post COVID digital inhabitants and remote working. While the UK does support WIFI hubs, could we not be doing more in this area? WIFI could be free for all especially across housing estates or other community spaces.
4. Outside space, air quality:
Clean air in CDMX: Green space is abundant in the city. The city relies on its parks as its lungs and with Chapultepec Park (Bosque de Chapultepec) it might be doing most of the work. Spanning nearly 3 miles and boasting nine museums making it one of the largest parks in the Western Hemisphere. It is also where the world famous Dia de los Muertos festival starts its 6 hour journey across the centre.
The ProAire programme integrates air quality goals with vehicle regulations, mobility policies, and public health data. This is where the we might learn from developing unified guidance linking clean air zones, public health data, public transit planning, and climate adaptation strategies. Reduce fragmentation between local authorities.
The city also benefits from Green Roof incentives and broad reforestation programmes help counter heat islands and improve air quality. Resilience to floods and earthquakes is underpinned by early warning system, risk education and response networks. A number of the great cathedrals are showing signs of subsidence with not one learning tower but several. As the city uncovers itself, the irony of these now sinking ecclesiastic structures is not lost on me with the vast excavation of the Temple de Mayor rising up like a volcanic reminder of those that came before.
5. Story telling and cultural pride:
If the park is its lungs then the vibrance of its people is the heart and this is not only felt through the visceral drumbeat felt across the city during its major festival. It would be remiss not to share that there is a deep focus on craft and local pride.
The Museum of Anthropology sits within the Bosque houses some most job dropping archeological finds, at approximately 79,700 square meters (almost 8 hectares) it’s size could pass for a local airport. The story is clear ‘we have much more to discover about ourselves’ and the locals will testify.
While there is an emphasis on communities embracing local collaboration they are also embracing the new. I would not underestimate CDMX’s potential. This is a city that is future focused and they have demonstrated large-scale sustainability and connectivity can be achieved through low-cost innovation, participatory governance, and inclusive mobility.
Could the UK consider adapting these strategies to accelerate environmental targets while improving equity, digital access, and urban resilience?
#ESG #SustainableCities #SmartCities #POLARES
For further reading: Mexico's ProAire Programme; POLARES Communities