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Climate Risk Atlas and Integrated Information Infrastructure

Solution Overview

Mexico City has developed a comprehensive information infrastructure that integrates climate risk data, vulnerability assessments, and planning tools to support adaptation decision-making across the metropolitan region. This action helps promote a multifunctional information infrastructure that can reduce risks to the population, ensure continuity of basic services, and improve the environment and quality of life of the inhabitants of CDMX.[5] The approach encompasses the development of a City Risk Atlas with a set of indicators related to hazard, exposure, and social vulnerability, which acts as a management tool to support implementation of the Climate Action Programme.[1]

Technical Components

The City Risk Atlas serves as the core technical platform, incorporating a set of indicators related to hazard, exposure, and social vulnerability to support climate action implementation.[1] Mexico City developed a Local Climate Action Strategy towards 2050 supported by a Climate Action Programme for the short and medium term, underpinned by a set of resilience actions and indicators to monitor progress and gaps.[1] The Water Resilience Plan includes generating models of relationship between the lacustrine zone and the Valley of Mexico basin, as well as detailed models of the heritage zone in terms of water.[4] The Resilience Agency is working with Deltares, a Dutch organization expert in water resource management, together with the Metropolitan Autonomous University (UAM) and academics from National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) on the Water Resilience Plan.[4]

Implementation Details

The CDMX Resilience Strategy covers the whole city/administrative region as its project area.[3] The Resilience Strategy for CDMX involves multiple stakeholder types including City Government, National Government, Supranational/Intergovernmental Institutions, Private Sector, NGO/Philanthropy, Community/Citizen Groups, and Research Institutes/Universities.[3] Mexico City's infrastructure does not receive adequate maintenance due to lack of investment, resulting in an inefficient system.[4] The earthquake in Mexico City resulted in more than 3 million people in the metropolitan area having no water, causing social conflict and vandalism towards water pipes distributing water.[4]

Benefits and Impacts

Under PACCM, the city's resilience, as well as the population's adaptation capacities, are increased, improving quality of life for the 5.6 million city residents most vulnerable to consequences of climate change.[2] Under PACCM, Mexico City created a territorial planning program that integrates environmental and urban policies resulting in increased conservation of soil and saving 19,242 m3 of water.[2] PACCM will modernize Mexico City's public transport to become more energy efficient and save 2.7 million kWh of energy.[2] The Green Challenge has allowed the planting of 27,082,593 trees and plants in Mexico City.[6] The Green Challenge included the plantation of 16.9 million plants only on conservation land, including the reforestation of 16,505 hectares in forests and rivers.[6] Additionally, 4,155 inhabitants of rural communities in Mexico City are benefiting in return for their work as brigade members in reforestation and ecological conservation activities.[6]

Climate Adaptation Relevance

Between 2000 and 2015, Mexico City experienced 51 events of extreme rains, floods and landslides that affected 52,331 people.[6] Venustiano Carranza implemented urban revegetation measures in flood-exposed areas following its climate risk assessment.[1] Azcapotzalco has taken action to improve and rehabilitate the secondary network of drainage, as well as scale up the creation of green areas.[1]

Business Analysis

Mexico City also has a Green Infrastructure Special Programme that acts as a participatory planning instrument for nature-based solutions, founded upon four principles: connectivity, accessibility, functionality, and resilience.[1] Several initiatives have been launched under Mexico City's Green Infrastructure Special Programme, including 'Planting Parks', a Green Challenge of urban revegetation, river sanitation, as well as the creation of wetlands, pollinating gardens, and urban orchards.[1] The Water Fund for CDMX aims to strengthen the water supply system and increase environmental protection of water conservation areas.[5]

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