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Bogotá's Bold Move: Clean Air Zones Bloom in Poorest Areas
29 Jan
Summary
- Bogotá launched its first clean air zone in a poor neighborhood.
- The city cut air pollution by 24% between 2018 and 2024.
- Future plans include expanding green spaces and planting thousands of trees.
Bogotá has made significant strides in improving its air quality, achieving a 24% reduction in pollution between 2018 and 2024. The city has now launched its first "urban zone for better air" (Zuma) in Bosa, one of its poorest and most polluted neighborhoods. This initiative prioritizes areas with the most severe health impacts from air pollution.
The Zuma project involves multiple improvements, including repaving unpaved roads, rerouting heavy freight transport, and creating new green spaces. These efforts aim to combat health issues linked to PM2.5 particulates, which disproportionately affect residents in areas with limited green spaces and high levels of vehicle emissions.
This is part of a broader vision to transform Bogotá, which already boasts Latin America's largest cycle lane network and one of the world's largest sustainable bus fleets. Future plans include extensive tree planting, new gardens, and urban forests by 2027, making cleaner air accessible to all communities.
