Mexico - Aguascalientes
The Urban Pathways Implementation Tracker is tracking the Projects Progress
The Urban Pathways Implementation Tracker is tracking the Projects Progress
Aguascalientes
The city of Aguascalientes, the capital of the state with the same name, is located in the southern border of the state, in the central-northern region of Mexico. The city of Aguascalientes generates 7.31 million tCO2-eq, annually. In 2011, the energy sector accounted for 60.7% of the national GHG emissions with 498.51 tCO2-eq, of which the transport sector represented about 40% and electricity generation 30.8%
Energy: In Aguascalientes city 99.8% of households are connected to the electricity grid, 15% have a solar water heater, 0.5% have a solar panel for electricity generation and 49% uses energy-saving light bulbs (INEGI, 2015). In the state of Aguascalientes there are five transmission substations that supply energy to all its municipalities. By sector, the energy consumption of Aguascalientes is distributed as follows: 50% transport, 32.08% industry, 15.4% residential, 3.26% agricultural and 2.76% commercial. The state of Aguascalientes is an appropriate region for the installation of systems with high incidence of solar radiation, which can generate about 19 MJ/m2 in the year. Therefore, the government intends to regulate it and ensure its sustainable use through the State Program of Renewable Energies.
Transport: The road infrastructure network of the state is composed of 347 km of federal highways, 1,020 km of state roads and 608 km of rural roads. The municipality does not have a mass transit system such as metro, rapid transit buses or passenger trains. Furthermore, it does not have a road for freight transport either. Regarding railway infrastructure, there are 133 km of tracks, However, this infrastructure does not transport passengers.
The transport sector accounts for 35% of the 7.31 million tCO2-eq that the municipality of Aguascalientes produces each year. In order to reduce the GHG and SLCPs emissions, the government of the state planned an Integrated Metropolitan Transport System (SIT by its Spanish acronym), to be financed by BANOBRAS, a Mexican Development Bank.
Moreover, the Municipal Development Plan (PDMA, 2017) established the commitment to expand the infrastructure for non-motorized transport currently composed of bicycle routes; and strengthen and generate schemes for promotion, education and dissemination of a new culture that fosters non-motorized mobility through educational projects that raise awareness about the use of bicycles.
Waste: The municipalities of Aguascalientes have excelled at national level for its system of sweeping, collection and final disposal of urban solid waste. However, further programs are required for the reduction, reuse and recycling of waste (PDMA, 2017). Despite the significant amount of waste with recyclable character, only 0.4% of the total generated waste is recycled in the municipality. Recycling is being promoted through the Friendly Action Program through which the waste producers take the materials to collection centers and receive money in exchange, which they can choose to claim or donate to organizations linked to the program. The final disposal of the city’s waste is carried out at the San Nicolás landfill, which generates 2.2 kWh electric power, however, according to its Municipal Development Plan (2017), the state has no planning or coordinated work to reuse this natural renewable and clean resource.
Energy: In Aguascalientes city 99.8% of households are connected to the electricity grid, 15% have a solar water heater, 0.5% have a solar panel for electricity generation and 49% uses energy-saving light bulbs (INEGI, 2015). In the state of Aguascalientes there are five transmission substations that supply energy to all its municipalities. By sector, the energy consumption of Aguascalientes is distributed as follows: 50% transport, 32.08% industry, 15.4% residential, 3.26% agricultural and 2.76% commercial. The state of Aguascalientes is an appropriate region for the installation of systems with high incidence of solar radiation, which can generate about 19 MJ/m2 in the year. Therefore, the government intends to regulate it and ensure its sustainable use through the State Program of Renewable Energies.
Transport: The road infrastructure network of the state is composed of 347 km of federal highways, 1,020 km of state roads and 608 km of rural roads. The municipality does not have a mass transit system such as metro, rapid transit buses or passenger trains. Furthermore, it does not have a road for freight transport either. Regarding railway infrastructure, there are 133 km of tracks, However, this infrastructure does not transport passengers.
The transport sector accounts for 35% of the 7.31 million tCO2-eq that the municipality of Aguascalientes produces each year. In order to reduce the GHG and SLCPs emissions, the government of the state planned an Integrated Metropolitan Transport System (SIT by its Spanish acronym), to be financed by BANOBRAS, a Mexican Development Bank.
Moreover, the Municipal Development Plan (PDMA, 2017) established the commitment to expand the infrastructure for non-motorized transport currently composed of bicycle routes; and strengthen and generate schemes for promotion, education and dissemination of a new culture that fosters non-motorized mobility through educational projects that raise awareness about the use of bicycles.
Waste: The municipalities of Aguascalientes have excelled at national level for its system of sweeping, collection and final disposal of urban solid waste. However, further programs are required for the reduction, reuse and recycling of waste (PDMA, 2017). Despite the significant amount of waste with recyclable character, only 0.4% of the total generated waste is recycled in the municipality. Recycling is being promoted through the Friendly Action Program through which the waste producers take the materials to collection centers and receive money in exchange, which they can choose to claim or donate to organizations linked to the program. The final disposal of the city’s waste is carried out at the San Nicolás landfill, which generates 2.2 kWh electric power, however, according to its Municipal Development Plan (2017), the state has no planning or coordinated work to reuse this natural renewable and clean resource.
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Policy Environment Assessment
Mexico is the 11th most populated country in the world with an estimated population of 124,574,795 inhabitants and an annual population growth rate of 1.12% (CIA, 2018). The country is the 10th largest global GHG emitter accounting for 1.68% of global emissions. Nevertheless, it is the first developing country to pass a general Climate Change law and has voluntary pledged $10 million to the Green Climate Fund. In 2010, its national emissions in units of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-eq) amounted to 748,252.2 Gg, with an annual average growth rate of 1.5% (CICC, 2012). According to the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI, 2018), the country is performing relatively well (fig.3) in the policy category due to the actions taken by the government, such as the reduction of subsidies to fossil fuels, which leads to a high rating. However, its low-rated 2030 target for clean energy and its lack of compliance with the road below 2°C, makes Mexico one of the worst performing countries in the renewable energy section.
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Project Development
PILOT CONCEPT iIN AGUASCALIENTES This project aims to promote active mobility of adolescents through the improvement of road safety at school areas and places where adolescents walk and cycle. The pilot project will be implemented in five out of the twelve schools analyzed in the first stage, and will be the basis to replicate the project in other schools in Aguascalientes. In the state of Aguascalientes, adolescents aged 12 to 17 years represent 12.3% of the state population (INEGI, 2011). According to the Mexican Youth Institute (IMJUVE, 2017), young people in the country are “the best bet for an integral, fair and lasting development” due to their quantitative representation and their participation as actors of transformation and social renewal. Additionally, adolescence is a stage of physical and emotional changes during the transition from childhood to adulthood, where personality is defined, and independence is shaped (UNICEF, s.d.). The project comprises five phases: research, merging, pilot, assessment and final design and implementation phase. The scope of the project involves the preliminary work, such as feasibility studies, project design and budgeting, until monitoring processes, and promotion of policy design to ensure continuity and scaling up of the project. |
