FIGHTING POLLUTION IN MEDELLIN

1. Fighting Pollution in Medellin
Medellín is a large, modern and innovative city located in Antioquia, Colombia, in
South America. It is well known for its green mountains, efficient public
transportation system, friendly and hardworking people, beautiful women and
flowers and comfortable weather which gives it the nickname of “The City of the
Eternal Spring”. Its numerous museums, parks and libraries promote culture,
recreation and entertainment around the city. Bandeja Paisa and Arepas are
symbols of its gastronomy. And the internationally known Flowers Festival is
annually celebrated there.
Unluckily, some environmental issues as air, water and land pollution, climate
change, global warming, deforestation, overpopulation, natural disasters and noise
pollution affect Medellín. It has been considered the city with the most polluted air
in Colombia for more than thirty years, despite the fact it has been trying to clean
its air for more than twenty years. Air pollution in Medellin is mainly caused by the
increasing number of cars and motorcycles which in 2018 is more than three times
bigger than in 2015. Air pollution causes diseases as bronchitis and pneumonia
which resulted in the dead of more than 12,3% of people’s deaths in Medellín in
2017.
Medellin has electric Metro, Metro Cable and Tramway, gas buses and the
cleanest diesel fuel in the country, but this has not been enough to clean its air. It
is implementing other strategies as Pico y Placa (plate restriction), Pico y Placa
Ambiental (environmental plate restriction), but probably reducing factories
pollution emissions is the only additional strategy which can meaningfully reduce
air pollution as result.
Written by MAYKCOLL YEPES. November 2018