Bogotá’s city hall: Diego Molano and the environment

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Centro Democrático's precandidate proposes a sustainable society that mixes circular economy and use of waste

Being a large city and also being the capital of the country, Bogotá faces different challenges not only political but also environmental. That is why Diego Molano Aponte, precandidate for the mayor's office of the capital district, for Centro Democrático (Democratic Center party), addresses in his problematic environmental proposals that need an immediate and effective solution.

Leer en español: Alcaldía de Bogotá: Diego Molano y el medio ambiente

In an exclusive interview with LatinAmerican Post, Molano explained that there are three major challenges he will face and that he hopes to solve with a simple strategy: execute. As mayor of the capital, Molano will prioritize:

1. The transformation of the Doña Juana landfill (waste dump in the city) into an ecological park

2. The decontamination of the Bogotá River

3. The construction of the Alo (freeway) taking into account the environmental value of the Van der Hammen reserve

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In the first case, according to the candidate, currently only 15% of the waste that reaches Doña Juana is used, when we could be taking advantage of 60% . Transforming the landfill into an ecological park would allow Bogotá to stop flooding in trash.

This transformation would not only be environmental but also economic, since from the ecological park, green jobs would be created and the circular economy would be promoted (using waste as raw material).

As for the Bogotá River, the decontamination of this body of water is an issue that has been addressed for several decades. However, no effective solutions have been reached. Molano, meanwhile, proposes that policies and projects that are already approved to clean up the river have to be exectued and then convert this flow into the economic center of the city and the regions it traverses.

Also read: Bogota's city hall: these are Diego Molano's proposals

Finally, regarding the construction of the freeway Alo, an important route that would decongest the entrance and exit through the south of Bogotá, the ecological and ecosystem value of the Van der Hammen environmental reserve will be taken into account.

The current mayor's government has been marked by controversy and discussion regarding this reserve, because according to Enrique Peñalosa the Van der Hammen is a "paddock". Molano says that the reserve is currently important, but the actions that enhance its environmental advantages have not been carried out. For this reason, Molano Aponte says that this road, which would have a stretch of 24 km, must have three sections that connect better with the Bogotá River and that allow the sustainable development of the road, as well as the use of the reserve in terms of urbanization and environmental aspects.

LatinAmerican Post | Marcela Peñaloza
Translated from "Alcaldía de Bogotá: Diego Molano y el medio ambiente"