Due to actions such as tree compensation, the reduction of energy consumption at the La Alpujarra Administrative Center and the renovation of vehicles, Medellín is the first city in the country to receive carbon neutral certification from the Colombian Institute of Technical Standards and Certification (Icontec).
This recognition was achieved by identifying that of the Co2 emissions generated at the Municipal Administrative Center (CAM), which total 4,981 tons per year, at least 1,485 were offset by strategies such as saving energy consumption and the vehicle fleet that runs on clean energy.
The social manager Diana Osorio highlighted that this certification is a great achievement for the city and another step towards the construction of eco-city.
In addition, he added that the commitment made to citizens, in the Medellín Future Development Plan, is a responsibility that is fulfilled for the good of the Antioquia capital and the planet. He stressed that receiving Icontec's carbon neutral certification ratifies this duty.
For her part, the Secretary of Supplies and Services, Karen Delgado Manjarrés, highlighted other recognitions that the capital of Antioquia has received for actions undertaken in favor of the environment.
“Since the beginning of this administration we have set out to set an example of Ecocity from home. In 2020, with the hard work of our officials and the correct management of their waste, we obtained the Icontec certification in the Zero Waste Management System in the Gold category and we have also been certified in the carbon footprint as the first mayor's office to have this distinction,” said the official.
The actions implemented by the Mayor's Office of Medellín
As explained by the municipal administration, this compensation was possible with the restoration of 36.43 hectares of forest in the five districts of the city, through reforestation and conservation processes of green areas, certified by Icontec.
On the other hand, there is the pilot of 34 hydration points, who is ahead of the Mayor's Office of Medellin and the Metropolitan Area and seeks to reduce the use of plastic.
Also noteworthy is the implementation of two new vertical gardens on the façade of the Mayor's Office of Medellín and the Metropolitan Area, which favors the generation of oxygen, the absorption of dust and heavy metals. They also reduce the temperature inside buildings, regulate ambient and environmental temperatures, contribute to air purification, capture pollutants and particulate matter.
Among the other actions being taken to mitigate environmental effects, the municipal administration and the Inder are working to make the Atanasio Girardot Stadium the first national stage of this type free of single-use plastics, an action that is being carried out with private companies. For this purpose, biodegradable cups were available, which reduces the use of plastics within the facilities.
On the other hand, it was highlighted that by 2023 an 80% increase in electric vehicles will be achieved at the service of the Mayor's Office of Medellín. To date, more than 55 per cent, exactly 157 of them, are powered by natural gas vehicles or hybrid technology, which allows the reduction of polluting gases
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