Enhancing environmental sustainability in the Valle de México

This chapter looks at the key environmental challenges of the Valle de México. It begins with an overview of the water, air, solid waste and land conservation problems that threaten the sustainability of the metropolitan zone. This is followed by an exploration of the governance obstacles that authorities face in addressing environmental challenges. It next considers the lack of a metropolitan vision, weak institutional arrangements, multiplicity of actors, sub-national governments’ limited capacity and citizens’ lack of awareness as the main barriers to environmental policy success. The main section considers some alternatives for tackling environmental concerns, as well as the need to use urban planning and a metropolitan resilience strategy to ensure policy coherence. It ends by making some recommendations for overcoming the governance obstacles to facilitate policy implementation and promote green growth.