The BBC reports about Medellin’s efforts to reduce temperatures in the city: Medellín has proactively countered its urban heat island effect and improved air quality through its “Green Corridors” initiative launched in 2016. Over 30 green corridors now weave through the city, linking green roads, vertical gardens, streams, parks, and hills, embodying a network of over 120,000 plants and 12,500 trees, with millions more added in subsequent phases. The initiative, which cost an initial US$16.3 million and has an annual maintenance of about US$625,000, has successfully reduced the citywide temperature by 2°C and has seen the return of various wildlife species.
It’s not only a locally supported project that has provided jobs and improved living conditions but has also set a global example, inspiring cities like Bogotá and Sao Paulo to adopt similar green interventions. Amid the challenges of climate change and the specific geographic and pollution concerns of Medellín, the Green Corridors project stands out as a beacon of sustainable urban planning, weaving nature back into the urban fabric and fostering a more resilient and environmentally friendly city.