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Sustainable development from the perspective of public green spaces planning and usage in the cities of São Paulo (Brazil) and Medellín (Colombia)

Rodolfo Maiche

Moderator

date June 28, 2022 | 15:30 - 17:00
place
Multifunction Hall Room 1
organization
São Paulo City Mayor's Hall Green and Environmental Affairs Secretariat
country
Brazil
language
Mostly in Spanish | Occasionally English
theme
Greener Urban Futures
Reference: 
NE 61

Summary

This event shall deepen the dialogue and cooperation between representatives of the cities of São Paulo and Medellin’s environmental conservation agencies. Additionally, it shall be organized with the support of the UN-Habitat Brazil and the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC) whose assistance is based on the South-South Cooperation paradigm for sustainable development. Hence, the event shall be framed with the purpose of advancing urban development with a specific regard to green public spaces. Coordinated by three different governance agencies, the event will shed light on practical experiences based on evidence toward a more responsible and inclusive urban development in face of climate change. Historically, São Paulo and Medellín have experienced an intense process of urban sprawling and encroachment toward their remaining green areas. Their urbanization levels have reached staggering thresholds despite lacking a concomitant suitable economic and social progress, in a process that has led to precarious settlements and deforestation. Nonetheless, as one of the measures taken to revert this trend, the two cities have resorted to and relied on urban development planning. Illustratively, a cohort of Cities Master Plans and Sectoral Plans have been put in place, in accordance with United Nations guidelines and tenets, such as the Rio and UN-Habitat Istanbul Declarations. Recently, in São Paulo, the UN-Habitat Brazil and the City’s Green and Environment Affairs Bureau (SVMA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to foster the United Nations Development Agenda Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) to enhance city’s assessment and management of its green public spaces. Likewise, UN-Habitat Brazil and the Government of Brazil, through ABC, have signed a Trilateral South-South Cooperation project that can contribute to strengthening policies and institutional frameworks for sustainable urban development, by expanding equitable access to urban basic services in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The initiative is at an initial stage, but has a great potential to promote South-South cooperation at city level, leveraging São Paulo and Medellin's efforts. Moreover, The Metropolitan Area of Aburrá Valley, is an institution that brings together 10 municipalities of which Medellín is its main city. Its 2020-2023 Management Plan called "Sustainable Future" makes a great commitment to smart cities designed for the well-being of the inhabitants and where planning, mobility and environmental sustainability are the structuring axes of its plans. The AMVA has also been consolidating itself internationally as an exemplary metropolitan area in governance, which has been recognized by UN-Habitat in its most recent publications. Therefore, bringing about a convergence of initiatives and ideas between these two cities can undoubtedly contribute to sustainable development for millions of people in its three main dimensions: social, economic and environment

Objectives

The main objectives are purported to straighten a common perspective regarding the use, planning, conservation, and characterization of public green spaces in São Paulo and Medellín (Metropolitan Area of Aburra Valley). The following shall be pursued: Deepen the cooperation dialogue between São Paulo and Medellín for the betterment of the City’s green areas management; Present some Urban Green Sectoral Plans as examples of policy based on evidences in São Paulo and Medellín (Metropolitan Area of Aburra Valley); Promote the perspective of city urban development by means of South-South Cooperation in alignment with the UN 2030 Development Agenda; Highlight shared perspectives and initiatives put in place to expand the reach and use of green public spaces in São Paulo and Medellín (Metropolitan Area of Aburra Valley); Foster SDG 11 with focus on urban parks as spaces for environmental inclusinesses and awareness; Shed light on the importance of international cooperation to prevent and withstand environmental hazards at city level. Underscore the handling of urban biodiversity vis-à-vis the strengthening of resilience as espoused in UN multilateral endeavors; Evince the importance of plan-driven public policies for the advancement of efficient government action; Share perspectives on funding opportunities and channels for the enhancement of green public spaces; Put in evidence city-level initiatives aimed at conserving and expanding urban biodiversity in face of Climate Change.

Session speakers

Speaker
Role
Organization
Country
Mr. Alain Grimard
Senior Officer
UN-Habitat Brazil
Mrs. Mariana Falcão
Project Analyst
ABC
Ms. Cláudia Hoyos
University Professional
AMVA
Ms. Tamires Oliveira
Coordinator
SVMA