Out of 132 cities across 23 countries worldwide, a Colombian city has once again won the One Planet City Challenge, an initiative organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to recognize urban centers taking action for sustainability.
The winning city is Montería, which was recognized during the Global Climate Action Summit held in San Francisco, United States, on September 12. Awarded for the fourth consecutive year, the Colombian city was highlighted for implementing sustainable mobility through urban design modifications, such as the construction of bike lanes and pedestrian pathways. Additionally, Montería was recognized for integrating strategies in its agricultural sector, particularly in cattle ranching, which is known to be a major contributor to the greenhouse effect.
Following the city's third consecutive win, the Colombian newspaper El Espectador reported on Montería, highlighting that "investing in bike lanes and pedestrian paths was highly purposeful: 9% of Montería's residents use bicycles to commute, primarily to work, while 20% travel on foot, according to a 2016 study funded by the Development Bank of Latin America and the French Development Agency."
At the national level, Montería competed against Bogotá, Ibagué, Pereira, and Pasto. In its press release, the WWF detailed the jury's reasons for the city's high evaluation:
Via El Espectador, WWF.
This article was written by Stefania Alvarez. The translation is powered by AI.
