Transportation key as cities look to become more sustainable

Tanya Muller, Mexico City’s secretary of the environment, shares insights about her city’s efforts to be more sustainable with Devex Impact associate editor Adva Saldinger. Cities are growing and a key part in addressing climate change challenges will be figuring out how to make that growth sustainable. One of the great challenges — especially in Latin America — is mobility, and building effective public transportation systems that rely on clean energy is critical to addressing the issue, said Tanya Muller, secretary of the environment for Mexico City. “We know that cities will continue to grow in the near and long term and we will have a higher demand for all services within the cities — living, jobs transportation,” she said. “I think we really have to put our mind to transport-oriented development, which means sustainable development that can also reflect in how competitive a city is economically.” Mexico City has made big strides, including building what is now the fourth largest bike sharing system in the world. Watch this video interview to learn more about what Mexico City has accomplished and what other cities might learn to follow suit. Planet Worth is a global conversation in partnership with Abt Associates, Chemonics, HELVETAS, Tetra Tech, the U.N. Development Program and Zurich, exploring leading solutions in the fight against climate change, while highlighting the champions of climate adaptation amid emerging global challenges. Visit the campaign site and join the conversation using #PlanetWorth.