Cinturon Verde Metropolitano - Jardín Circunvalar De Medellín - Colombia

The Jardín Circunvalar De Medellín (or Metropolitan Green Belt) will be a 75 kilometer-long park on the slopes of the Aburra Valley surrounding the city. The park aims to tackle sprawl and lessen natural disasters.

Key facts:

The new park will restrict the city's sprawl, since the areas of the green belt will be declared nature reserves;
This activity will increase the city’s energy efficiency by implementing solar panels in the park;
A silviculture program within the park is also sequestering carbon emissions.

The problem

Colombia is vulnerable to climate change. It is located in a tropical zone and is influenced by El Niño and the La Niña. The city of Medellín is also particularly sensitive to climate change, due to climate variability. Since the city is influenced by the Aburrá River and surrounding streams and mountains, it faces risks like landslides and flooding.

The solution

The Metropolitan Green Belt will help the city of Medellin adapt to climate change by acting as a natural foundation against natural disaster. Apart from providing citizens with new recreation, education, sport and community-meeting facilities, the park will also be strategic in restricting the city's sprawl, since the areas of the green belt will be declared nature reserves.

Helping the planet

This activity aims to increase the city’s energy efficiency by implementing solar panels in the park. It has also built walking and cycling trails and two cable cars to promote citizen mobility. The cable cars have been integrated into the city’s transport system. The activity is promoting climate change mitigation through a forest carbon sequestration project, Más Bosques para Medellín, that operates within the voluntary carbon market. A silviculture program within the park is also sequestering carbon emissions. The city is also working on a project for the integral management of solid waste and an environmental educational program that promotes green practices that contributes to reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Helping people

The recovery and improvement of public spaces is offering communities recreation options like practicing sports, while at the same time we are providing spaces outdoor education. This activity’s housing strategy, Sustainable Neighborhoods (Barrios Sostenibles), relocates and resettles houses that are located in high risk areas as a way to prevent environmental risks.