Sesión 7. La ciudad sustentable y saludable: ¿Cómo agenciarla?

Introduction to the Session

The speaker welcomes the participants to the seventh thematic session of the Colombian chair on citizenship, integrity, and the fight against corruption. Various attendees from different locations are acknowledged for their presence.

Focus on Sustainable and Healthy Cities

City Sustainability Discussion:

• Sustainable and healthy cities are crucial in contemporary urban management.

• Three distinguished guests, Professors Julián Díaz, Luis Jorge Hernández, and Antonio Delicio, will discuss city sustainability.

• Each participant will have around 25 minutes for their presentation followed by a dialogue with the audience.

Introduction of Professor Luis Jorge Hernández

Professor's Background:

• Professor Luis Jorge Hernández is a medical doctor with expertise in data analysis, epidemiology, and public health.

• He has extensive experience in public health programs focusing on environmental health relationships and social determinants.

• Currently serving as an associate professor at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Los Andes.

Understanding City Sustainability

Key Points on City Sustainability:

• City sustainability encompasses socio-ecological priorities and responsibilities across diverse stakeholders.

• Refers to achieving a balance between environmental preservation, human development, and economic growth since ancient times.

• Differentiates sustainability from sustentability; emphasizes access to safe housing and improving marginalized settlements.

Linking Sustainability to Health Impact

Health Implications of Sustainability:

• Enhancing city safety and sustainability involves ensuring access to secure and affordable housing.

• The World Health Organization highlights that sustainable cities promote community inclusivity, resilience, and sustainability.

Sustainability and Urban Development

The discussion revolves around the concept of sustainability in urban development, focusing on the balance between strong and weak sustainability models, the need to shift development paradigms away from fossil fuels, and specific goals related to sustainable and healthy cities by 2030.

Sustainability Models and Urban Development Goals

• Strong sustainability involves changing development models to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

• Cities like Bogotá face challenges in balancing densification with expansion due to urbanization processes.

• Goals include ensuring safe transportation for vulnerable groups like women, children, and older adults.

• Urban planning tensions exist between expansion (increased costs) and conservation of cultural and natural heritage.

Environmental Impact of Urban Areas

This segment delves into the environmental impact of cities, emphasizing waste management, air quality, access to green spaces, and risks associated with human-induced disasters.

Environmental Challenges in Cities

• Bogotá's main ecological structure includes the Eastern Hills which play a crucial role in water generation and CO2 absorption.

• The Eastern Hills ecosystem serves as a water source for Bogotá while aiding in climate regulation through CO2 capture.

• Importance of preserving wetlands for maintaining ecological balance and mitigating climate-related issues like heatwaves.

Water Resources and Climate Vulnerability

This part focuses on water resources in Bogotá, highlighting concerns about potential impacts from climate change on these vital reserves.

Water Resources Management

• Bogotá's water sources may face challenges by 2040 due to factors like pollution originating from upstream areas.

• Wetlands play a critical role in maintaining Bogotá's hydrological balance and ecosystem equilibrium.

Air Quality Concerns and Health Implications

Addressing air pollution issues in Bogotá along with associated health risks such as respiratory diseases linked to poor air quality.

Air Pollution Effects on Health

• Air pollution poses health risks including respiratory illnesses; degradation of ecosystems exacerbates these concerns.

Detailed Analysis of Urban Sustainability Challenges

The discussion delves into the challenges faced by urban areas in achieving sustainability, focusing on factors such as environmental measurements, demographic shifts, and health impacts.

Urban Environmental Risks

• Structural measurements conducted by air monitoring networks at meso-level and within built environments reveal inadequate coverage in Bogotá compared to Chile.

• Monitoring air quality and compliance with climate change adaptation plans and air decontamination strategies are crucial for sustainable cities like Bogotá.

Health Impacts of Urban Development

• Transformation of residential spaces into informal factories or repair shops leads to exposure to heavy metals like mercury, posing health risks.

• Presence of cellphone towers near populated areas raises concerns about electromagnetic radiation exposure and its impact on public health.

Road Safety and Public Health

• High rates of traffic accidents in Bogotá underscore the need for a comprehensive integrated transport system prioritizing road safety.

• Sustainable cities must address issues related to air quality, water resources, land use, habitat preservation, and mobility to function effectively.

Demographic Trends Impacting Urban Sustainability

The conversation explores demographic changes in Bogotá, emphasizing aging populations, declining birth rates, and the influx of migrants from Venezuela and conflict zones.

Aging Population Dynamics

• Bogotá experiences an aging population trend with certain localities showing over 15% elderly residents, impacting social services and healthcare needs.

• Decreasing birth rates coupled with significant migration flows pose challenges in providing essential services like housing, food security, and employment for vulnerable groups.

Migration Patterns and Social Integration

• Ongoing migration from Venezuela and internal conflict regions necessitates support for indigenous families and displaced populations requiring basic necessities.

Sustainable Cities and Mental Health

The discussion revolves around the concept of solastalgia, which refers to the distress caused by environmental degradation. The impact of urban environments on mental health, particularly in large cities like Bogotá, is explored.

Understanding Solastalgia

• Solastalgia, coined in 2007, describes the emotional distress resulting from environmental changes.

• It differs from nostalgia as it involves sadness due to external and internal factors affecting the environment.

Urban Environment and Mental Health

• Urban areas face challenges like waste accumulation, air pollution, and ecosystem degradation leading to anxiety and depression.

• Survey data from Bogotá indicates high levels of anxiety, depression, and mental health issues among residents.

Importance of Sustainable Cities

• A sustainable city aims to maximize the quality of life for all inhabitants, especially children.

• Link between sustainable cities and mental health is evident through impacts on cardiovascular diseases and overall well-being.

Challenges in Urban Sustainability

The conversation delves into practical and conceptual aspects of sustainable cities. It emphasizes the need for viewing cities as regions with interconnected priorities for sustainability.

Conceptualizing Sustainable Cities

• Evidence shows links between solastalgia, cardiovascular diseases, and environmental degradation in urban settings.

• Viewing cities as metropolitan or conurbated regions rather than isolated entities is crucial for addressing sustainability challenges.

Priorities for Urban Sustainability

• Mitigating climate change remains a key priority alongside addressing issues like air pollution and land use planning.

• Balancing densification with expansion while ensuring food security is essential for sustainable urban development.

Responsibilities in Urban Governance

The discussion focuses on the ethical dimensions of urban governance in promoting sustainability. It highlights the role of different stakeholders in fostering sustainable practices.

Ethical Challenges in Governance

• Government entities bear significant responsibility but must address power dynamics and inequities within society.

• Citizen control through governance mechanisms is vital to combat corruption and ensure ethical decision-making processes.

Balancing Growth with Sustainability

• Achieving sustainability requires balancing economic growth with human well-being while considering ethical implications.

Detailed Discussion on Urban Perception

In this section, the speaker expresses gratitude for the opportunity to present and acknowledges the importance of the order of presentations. They touch upon urban perception, emphasizing the need to move beyond definitive truths and delve into a more abstract analysis of Latin American cities.

Insights on Urban Perception

• The speaker highlights the importance of moving beyond definitive truths in understanding urban perception, following Professor Luis Jorge's lead in using data and indicators.

• Technical difficulties arise as the speaker attempts to share their screen for the presentation, showcasing challenges in virtual settings.

• The imperative shift in thinking about cities as complex systems rather than closed or deterministic entities is emphasized by discussing territorial planning examples.

• Cities are depicted as complex systems influenced by heterogeneous elements, sensitive to external conditions, historical context, and regional dynamics.

Challenges Faced by Latin American Cities

This segment delves into specific challenges encountered by Latin American cities, focusing on population concentration, environmental implications, and urban infrastructure inadequacies.

Key Challenges Discussed

• Five major Latin American cities - Buenos Aires, Bogotá, Santiago de Chile, Mexico City, and Lima - are highlighted for their population concentration issues.

• Urban areas become significant population attractors due to rural depopulation trends leading to infrastructure strains and inadequate urban planning responses.

• The concept of city metabolism is introduced as a critical aspect affecting urban sustainability through examples like air quality deterioration from high fuel consumption levels.

Environmental Impact of Urban Consumption Patterns

This part focuses on the environmental repercussions of urban consumption patterns with a specific emphasis on fuel consumption trends impacting air quality.

Environmental Implications Explored

• High diesel and gasoline consumption rates in cities like Mexico City pose severe threats to air quality due to massive fuel burning practices.

Energy Consumption and Urban Challenges

The speaker discusses concerns about potential power outages due to excessive energy demand in cities like Lima and Bogotá, highlighting the ecological footprint of urban areas.

Energy Demand and Supply Issues

• Excessive energy demand in cities like Lima and Bogotá is causing worries about potential blackouts.

• The interconnection system of each country is struggling to meet current demands, with a focus on internal consumption over external sales.

Ecological Impact of Urban Areas

• Cities, especially capital cities, have a monumental ecological footprint that extends beyond their borders.

• Urban residents are not only heavy consumers of energy but also significant consumers of food sourced from regions outside the city.

Food Consumption and Waste Management Challenges

The discussion shifts towards food consumption patterns in cities like Bogotá, emphasizing issues related to food waste and unsustainable practices.

Food Consumption Habits

• Bogotá consumes approximately 4.5 million tons of various foods annually, sourced mainly from regions outside the city.

• A significant portion of food entering cities gets wasted due to market intermediaries and consumer habits, leading to environmental and logistical consequences.

Food Waste Management

• Food wastage at both logistical levels and household levels contributes to environmental sins and financial losses.

• Excessive consumption of sugary beverages adds to the metabolic burden of cities, reflected in substantial daily waste production.

Urban Waste Disposal Challenges

The conversation delves into the challenges posed by urban waste disposal practices, highlighting issues with landfill saturation and inadequate waste management strategies.

Urban Waste Generation

• Cities like Bogotá produce around 7500 tons of waste daily, while other metropolises like Mexico City generate significantly higher amounts for disposal.

• Inadequate waste management practices lead to landfill saturation issues, necessitating urgent reevaluation of waste disposal strategies.

Environmental Consequences

• Saturated landfills underscore the pressing need for collective action to address urban waste management challenges effectively.

• Landfill overflow reflects broader sustainability concerns within urban environments that demand immediate attention for long-term viability.

Desafíos de las Ciudades Latinoamericanas

En esta sección, se discuten los desafíos que enfrentan las ciudades latinoamericanas en términos de sostenibilidad urbana y planificación a largo plazo.

Urban Infrastructure Challenges

• Se destaca la falta de análisis sobre la infraestructura urbana, lo que puede llevar a deficiencias en servicios básicos como agua y energía.

• La sostenibilidad de las ciudades va más allá del aspecto temporal del paisaje, involucrando la capacidad de autosostenimiento y la gestión de residuos.

• Se menciona la contaminación ambiental en ciudades como Bogotá, resaltando la importancia de considerar los riesgos para la salud pública.

Environmental Risks and Sustainability

• Se plantea que las ciudades colombianas y latinoamericanas están viviendo "de milagro", con eventos extremos como incendios forestales y deslizamientos poniendo en peligro su viabilidad.

• Las catástrofes pasadas, como el caso de Armero en Colombia, sirven como recordatorio de los riesgos latentes que pueden afectar a las ciudades en cualquier momento.

Sostenibilidad Urbana y Lecciones Globales

En esta parte, se aborda la sostenibilidad urbana desde una perspectiva global, destacando lecciones aprendidas en diferentes contextos.

Lessons from Global Cities

• Se enfatiza que muchas ciudades no son sostenibles ni saludables debido a problemas como escasez de recursos hídricos y climáticos.

• Se menciona el concepto de crecimiento cero y renovación urbana como estrategias para abordar los desafíos urbanos actuales.

Circular Economy and Sustainable Practices

• Se discute la economía circular como un modelo alternativo para gestionar recursos urbanos y reducir impactos ambientales negativos.

• Se hace hincapié en aplicar principios naturales, como las leyes termodinámicas, a la planificación urbana para garantizar su viabilidad a largo plazo.

Planificación Urbana Futurista

En este segmento, se exploran ideas innovadoras para la planificación urbana futura y cómo abordar los retos emergentes.

Future Urban Planning Strategies

• Se critica el enfoque determinista en la planificación urbana basado solo en normativas y regulaciones sin considerar soluciones integrales.

Laws of Thermodynamics and Sustainability

The speaker emphasizes the importance of thermodynamics in sustainability, highlighting the significance of energy flow and adherence to universal laws for successful planning.

Laws of Thermodynamics and Sustainability

• Thermodynamics is crucial for sustainability as it governs energy flow.

• Capital influx sustained Berlin during a blockade, showcasing the role of energy flow in critical situations.

• Comparison between aircraft types in 1948 and 2023 highlights technological advancements but raises concerns about sustainability.

• Time irreversibility and entropy degradation underscore challenges in urban sustainability.

• Indigenous perspectives suggest self-contained futures amidst environmental changes.

Challenges in Urban Sustainability

The discussion delves into warnings regarding environmental issues, emphasizing the need for drastic changes to avoid societal failure.

Challenges in Urban Sustainability

• Urgency to heed environmental warnings like rising temperatures for sustainable urban planning.

• Illustration through "Wally" emphasizes the necessity for significant societal changes rather than minor adjustments.

• Emphasis on drastic changes or facing civilization's failure prompts reflection on sustainable living practices.

Speaker Introduction: Antonio de Licio

Introduction of Antonio de Licio, highlighting his background and expertise in geography, environmental sciences, architecture, and urbanism.

Speaker Introduction: Antonio de Licio

• Antonio de Licio's academic background includes geography, environmental sciences, architecture, and urbanism.

• Notable roles include membership in various organizations focusing on social metabolism and environmental justice.

• Extensive experience as a professor across Latin America, Europe, and Canada underscores his expertise in sustainable development.

City Sustainability: Theoretical Concepts

Antonio de Licio introduces theoretical concepts essential for understanding sustainable and healthy cities before transitioning to practical applications using Bogotá as a case study.

City Sustainability: Theoretical Concepts

• Acknowledgment of participation gratitude followed by an overview of the session's structure focusing on theoretical aspects first.

• Gratitude expressed towards Eduardo Rueda for moderating the session alongside other panelists from Colombian universities.

The Evolution of Urban Ecosystems

The speaker discusses the evolution of urban ecosystems, tracing back to historical events like the domestication of fire and the agricultural revolution, leading up to modern-day challenges such as climate change and sustainability in cities.

Understanding Urban Ecosystems

• The evolution of urban ecosystems can be traced back over 30,000 years to events like the domestication of fire and the agricultural revolution.

• The Industrial Revolution, based on utilizing fossil fuels, has led to a crisis in civilization manifested through climate change.

• Viewing cities as ecological systems involves understanding them as incomplete entities that rely on external inputs for survival.

• Cities are considered heterotrophic, depending on external contributions from nature or human-created structures resembling autotrophs.

• Cities are seen as systems within the Earth's ecosystem, requiring inputs of high-quality energy like natural resources and green spaces for sustainability.

Challenges Faced by Urban Ecosystems

This section delves into the challenges faced by urban ecosystems concerning energy consumption, waste production, and environmental impacts.

Energy Dynamics in Cities

• Cities require high-quality energy inputs such as natural resources and green areas for sustenance.

• Inputs include energy sources like solar power and water supply but also encompass disruptions caused by gasoline and fossil fuels.

• Fossil fuels provide high-quality stored energy but contribute to issues like urban heat islands and climate change.

Environmental Impact of Cities

• While cities receive quality inputs, they produce degrading outputs such as greenhouse gas emissions leading to global warming.

• A significant portion of greenhouse gas emissions originates from urban activities like wastewater contamination and solid waste generation.

Sustainable Practices in Urban Planning

• Sustainable urban planning involves managing not only conventional household waste but also construction materials that impact the environment negatively.

Agenda 2030: Sustainable Urban Development

The discussion shifts towards Agenda 2030's Objective 11 focusing on sustainable and resilient cities within a broader framework of sustainable development goals.

Objectives of Agenda 2030

• Understanding cities as part of an ecourban region is crucial for achieving sustainable development goals outlined in Agenda 2030.

Components of Objective 11

The Importance of Public Spaces in Urban Development

The discussion highlights the advancements and challenges in urban development, focusing on the significance of public spaces for sustainability and community well-being.

Advancements and Challenges in Urban Development

• Significant advancements have been made in areas such as housing with basic services and disaster risk management.

• Challenges persist in non-market-dependent aspects like sustainable public spaces, open green areas, and cultural heritage preservation.

• The economy's shift towards sustainability is hindered by market-driven priorities rather than ecological and social sustainability.

• Emphasizing ecological sustainability through sustainable public spaces and natural heritage preservation is crucial for urban development.

Role of Public Spaces in Eco-Ethical Urbanism

Public spaces play a vital role in fostering eco-ethical urbanism by enabling environmental education, citizen engagement, and cultural preservation.

Eco-Ethical Urbanism Through Public Spaces

• Public spaces are essential for promoting eco-ethics by facilitating environmental education based on sustainable criteria.

• Environmental education within public spaces has evolved since the 1970s, contributing to citizen organization and resistance against urban challenges.

Public Spaces: Bridging City-Countryside Divide

Public spaces serve as connectors between urban and rural areas, emphasizing their complementary relationship for sustainable development.

City-Countryside Integration Through Public Spaces

• Public spaces redefine cities beyond concrete jungles to include agricultural-like green zones, highlighting the synergy between city life and nature.

New Section

In this section, the speaker discusses the significance of public spaces in Bogotá, particularly focusing on the transition from natural mountain domains to central urban areas.

Public Spaces in Bogotá

• The speaker appreciates studying the public space that extends from the eastern hills of Bogotá to Virrey Park, emphasizing its quality and ability to represent a blend of natural and urban elements.

• Emphasizes the importance of urban planning harmonizing with nature rather than opposing it, highlighting the need for an ecological-cultural continuity.

• Discusses how green corridors like the one from the eastern hills to Virrey Park provide ecological and cultural continuity, showcasing ecosystem functions such as regulation to prevent river overflow.

• Explores the concept of environmental governance, distinguishing it from traditional governance models by emphasizing aspects like market incentives, decentralization, and NGO participation.

Elements of Sustainable and Healthy Cities

The discussion revolves around the importance of natural elements in reducing vulnerability for sustainable and healthy city management, emphasizing the regional dimension's significance in metropolitan dynamics.

Elements of Nature for City Sustainability

• Emphasis on the need for a Metropolitan Bogotá framework to enhance political articulation and planning.

• Advocacy for Metropolitan-level coordination to strengthen Bogotá's integration with surrounding municipalities.

Water Supply and Sustainability

• Highlighting the critical role of water supply from the high basin areas like Rio Bogotá for Bogotá's sustainability.

• Mentioning how surrounding areas act as biological pumps, contributing to Bogotá's water sustainability.

Urban Management Challenges

• Addressing the necessity of an instance to organically link Bogotá with its metropolitan municipalities for effective urban management.

Challenges in Emergency Preparedness

The conversation shifts towards discussing emergency preparedness, focusing on climate-related emergencies like fires and floods in Bogotá.

Compliance with Climate Agreements

• Inquiry about compliance with climate agreements (e.g., Agreement 790) amidst climatic emergencies in Bogotá.

Institutional Arrangements for Emergencies

• Examination of institutional arrangements in cities like Villavicencio concerning preparedness for extreme climate events.

Discussion on Urban Development Plans

The discussion revolves around the integration of complexity theories in urban development plans to address sustainability challenges effectively.

Integrating Complexity Theories in Urban Planning

• Using complexity theories can aid in addressing sustainability challenges within urban development plans.

• It is crucial to critically assess the purpose of a City Development Plan, especially concerning its role as a market instrument versus sustainability goals.

• Urban planning needs to consider environmental, supply, and regional factors for effective decision-making beyond traditional market-driven approaches.

• Collaboration between city centers and peripheries is essential for sustainable urban development, highlighting the need for inclusive decision-making processes.

• Challenges persist in applying complex thinking to daily governance practices, emphasizing the importance of embracing chaos as an opportunity for order.

Emergency Response and Environmental Governance

This segment delves into emergency response strategies and environmental governance concerning urban territories.

Emergency Response and Environmental Governance

• Addressing emergency response plans and risk management regarding climatic emergencies in Bogotá is crucial for sustainable urban development.

• Neglect of ecological protection measures has led to challenges like illegal settlements along hillsides, necessitating proactive measures over reactive responses.

• Lack of preventive actions exacerbates ecological damage, requiring stronger environmental authorities and citizen engagement for ecosystem protection.

• Emphasizing the need for anticipatory actions rather than reactive responses to prevent recurring ecological disasters like forest fires.

• Calls for enhanced environmental governance through citizen involvement, academia collaboration, and territorial development plans to shift from reactive to proactive approaches.

Citizen Participation in Environmental Governance

The conversation focuses on citizen participation and environmental governance's role in fostering sustainable urban agendas.

Citizen Participation in Environmental Governance

• Citizen resistance against exploitative initiatives like mining activities highlights the significance of participatory processes in shaping sustainable urban policies.

Environmental Governance and Citizen Participation

In this section, the discussion revolves around environmental governance, citizen participation, and the distinction between them. The conversation emphasizes that governance goes beyond mere attendance at meetings to include citizen co-management and co-administration.

Understanding Environmental Governance

• Environmental governance involves more than attending meetings; it entails citizen co-management and co-administration.

• Tools such as local development plans, local planning tables, and neighborhood reorganization in Bogotá serve as spaces for environmental governance.

• Citizens and academia should participate in ensuring compliance with climate change adaptation plans, like Bogotá's air quality improvement plan.

• Encouraging governance involves monitoring initiatives like integrated transport systems and emission reduction while ensuring citizen oversight.

Youth Initiatives in Urban Sustainability

This part delves into empowering youth initiatives within urban areas for sustainability. It highlights the pivotal role of young individuals in driving environmental sustainability efforts within neighborhoods.

Empowering Youth Initiatives

• Recognizing the crucial role of youth in urban sustainability efforts within neighborhoods.

• Exploring mechanisms to enhance youth initiatives focusing on urban environmental sustainability and public health.

Detailed Discussion on University Engagement with Communities

In this segment, the speaker discusses the importance of universities engaging with communities to address societal issues and enhance social impact.

Importance of University-Community Engagement

• Universities should connect with communities to understand their needs and contribute to solving local problems.

• Emphasizes the significance of universities' regional impact over global rankings, highlighting the value of practical contributions to communities.

• Criticizes isolating youth from real-world challenges, advocating for a more grounded approach to education and community involvement.

Empowering Youth for Sustainable City Development

This part focuses on empowering youth for sustainable city development through educational initiatives and fostering environmental awareness.

Empowerment Through Education

• Calls for enhanced science education, promoting citizen science, and building expertise in environmental issues among youth.

• Advocates for expanding educational outreach to schools and forming partnerships between universities and educational institutions.

Promoting Environmental Awareness Through Practical Projects

The discussion shifts towards practical projects aimed at raising environmental awareness among students through hands-on experiences.

Hands-On Environmental Projects

• Describes a project involving school students visiting a university for training sessions on environmental topics, emphasizing student-led initiatives.

• Highlights the importance of developing plans for environmental sustainability and monitoring progress in addressing ecological challenges.

Challenges in Environmental Initiatives

Addressing challenges faced in promoting environmental initiatives due to resistance, control concerns, and the need for governmental support.

Overcoming Resistance

• Discusses resistance towards environmental controls due to power dynamics and reluctance towards scrutiny.

The Role of Universities in Regional Development

In this section, the speaker discusses the role of regional universities in bridging gaps and contributing to regional development through extension missions.

The Importance of Regional Universities

• Regional universities play a crucial role in connecting with students in remote areas and making efforts to close educational gaps.

• The speaker emphasizes that universities in regions bear a significant cost for advancing and progressing, primarily through their extension missions.

Future Initiatives and Invitations

• The discussion hints at upcoming initiatives from the university to further support regional development.