Context

Given their contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and their vulnerability to the effects of climate change, cities are key actors in addressing its impacts. Local authorities are beginning to develop climate action plans. However, community awareness and engagement are often not sufficiently considered in these processes.

This project focuses on implementing pilot projects in two vulnerable neighborhoods in medium-sized Mexican cities, with the aim of demonstrating the feasibility of resilient, low-carbon, inclusive, and easily replicable urban solutions. The project will address the climate vulnerability of communities from a cross-sectoral perspective, enabling a bottom-up approach to the assessment, design, and implementation of identified solutions through the use of a mapping tool and a methodological framework. A training and dissemination strategy will enable local authorities and grassroots organizations to independently replicate the approach using the products developed by the project.

Objective

This project focuses on implementing pilot projects in two vulnerable neighborhoods in medium-sized Mexican cities, with the objective of developing, supporting, and strengthening participatory processes and methods for inclusive and replicable climate action at the community level, framed within municipal and national climate action plans. The main beneficiaries are local communities, organized civil society, municipalities, and state and national governments.

Areas of work and impacts

I. Improvement of the urban environment in vulnerable neighborhoods through locally developed, resilient, and low-carbon urban solutions co-designed with the community.

• Development of a comprehensive assessment framework and a digital community mapping tool.
• Community participation and leadership in assessment, design, and implementation processes.

II. Implementation and evaluation of two pilot EcoZones based on existing initiatives and taking the local context into account.

• Lessons learned, shared knowledge, and strengthened capacities.

Global multiplier effect of the project: A roadmap will be developed with the communities and municipalities of the two selected neighborhoods for subsequent implementation and scaling after the project ends. The methodology, recommendations, and lessons learned, together with the community mapping tool and its user guide, will be open and freely available, allowing replication in any neighborhood. Widespread use will be promoted through training events so that local authorities and grassroots organizations can replicate the approach.