The Center for Sustainable Transport Mexico (CTS-México) secured a £225,578 ($322,883) grant to advise Mexico's Federal Ministry of Social Development (SEDESOL) on how to encourage more compact, dense urban growth through the country's local funding and regulatory framework.

The proposal, titled, “Fostering Mexican Policy, Projects and Action for Low Carbon, Competitive Urban Growth,” was signed into contract on January 23. Funds will be distributed by the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the British Embassy through their Strategic Programme Fund, which includes funding for climate security, energy security and economic reform projects.

The project will include the development of an evaluation methodology for integrated transportation and urban development strategies; capacity building for local governments through workshops and information dissemination; and a demonstration project that will implement the modified regulatory framework.

People often underestimate the effect of poor urban planning on pollution, according to Betancourt.

"The combination of inefficient urban development and private automobile-dominated transport is largely responsible for the country’s current levels of greenhouse gas emissions," he says.

In Mexico, lowest income populations are frequently relegated to live in sprawling housing developments on the outskirts of cities, with little or no access to public transportation. This leads to inefficiencies in the mass transit system, thus creating a car-centric culture.

CTS-México's efforts, Betancourt says, are "aimed at promoting more compact, dense growth and uncovering the environmental and economic benefits of integrated transportation and urban development strategies."

Contact:

Jonathan Vázquez Betancourt
CTS-México Media Coordinator
jvazquez@ctsmexico.org

Adriana Lobo
CTS-México Director
alobo@ctsmexico.org