RETHINKING HERMOSILLO
MEXICO, 2017

In 2010, the Inter-American Development Bank launched the Emerging and Sustainable Cities Initiative. Through a multi-sectoral vision, it aims at supporting the emerging cities of Latin America and the Caribbean in their efforts to improve the quality of life of their citizens as well as their sustainability for future generations. The specific objective of the Emerging and Sustainable Cities Program today is to support cities of the region-- at least one in each country- in the identification of main challenges, prioritization, and initial financing of sectors and actions that will lead them to sustainable development. The challenges for Latin American and Caribbean cities to ensure their sustainability in coming years are grouped into three major dimensions: risk of disaster, environmental sustainability, and climate change, comprehensive urban development, and fiscal management, governance, and transparency. The methodological instrument of the Cities Initiative was designed to offer a comprehensive perspective that makes it possible to view problems concurrently so that synergies can be achieved, interdependencies and linkages understood, and this information used to make decisions that produce the greatest effects and impact.

 In Mexico, the Initiative has thus far provided Action Plans for three cities: Xalapa, Campeche and La Paz. The success of the program in the country has prompted the Federal Government to implement a national program in coordination with IDB. Additionally, the North American Development Bank (NadBank) signed a Memorandum of Understanding also with the IDB to co-finance the implementation of the methodology in the Northern city of Hermosillo.

The collaboration with this three organizations has as an objective to generate a space to think and explore new ideas for urban design and planning in Mexican cities. In so, working with local and federal authorities and provide visions and concept for the future of Hermosillo.

Together with the Inter-American Development Bank Mexico Team and the Harvard Team we are in the process of producing the action plan for the city based in city scale strategies and puncutal projects. The result of this research will inform Hermosillo Municipality Plan.

Harvard Team: Jorge Silva - Juan Santa Maria - Rubén Segovia - Claudia Tomateo
Emergent and Sustainable Cities Program Inter-American Development Bank