BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Although cities occupy only 3 per cent of the global land area, they consume 80 percent of energy and account for 75 per cent of carbon emissions, making local action plans crucial for developing climate policies that foster more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable urban centers.
As the first initiative to combine open government and the climate change agenda, Buenos Aires Climate Action aims to inspire and engage citizens in climate action with the vision of becoming a carbon neutral, resilient, and inclusive city by 2050. The initiative describes a citizen-centered, targeted, and accessible effort that inspires to promote collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the development of open-government strategies for sustainable urban environmental action and green job creation.
In 2020, the Buenos Aires City Government launched the Buenos Aires Climate Action platform to provide information on environmental management for indicators of climate change. This platform was co-created with over 600 citizens, experts, and NGOs to promote public dialogue on the urgency of climate change and drive action and local participation.
With a reach of over three million people, the initiative directly benefits the general population of Buenos Aires, including researchers, academics, and journalists who collect the information on its platform for their work. The platform has received 87,600 visits since its implementation and has paved the way for the City Government to develop new open-government indicators to identify urban environmental activities, such as urban gardens, urban waste recycling, and eco-design, and identify companies whose traditionally non-environmental activities could transition towards more sustainable forms of production. The goal of this process is to gain a deeper understanding of opportunities for creating new green jobs, existing training needs, public support measures, experiences, best practices and lessons learned in this field.
The platform consists of 30 sets of open data and public information related to climate action. Those sets of open data make it possible to promote citizen monitoring for evidence-based public-private decisions. The methodology used during the process has been thoroughly documented and can be replicated and adapted by each government according to its local characteristics and needs.
As a finalist in the Inspire category, Buenos Aires Climate Action exemplifies the power of creativity to inspire positive change and behavioral transformation for the SDGs. By involving citizens in climate action through an innovative online platform, the initiative unites individuals and communities to collectively address the pressing challenges of climate change. It empowers participants to make informed choices and influence public policies while fostering dialogue, communication, and democratic strengthening.
Buenos Aires Climate Action inspires citizens to take action and contribute to resilient and inclusive cities, actively engaging them in climate actions and promoting sustainable practices. It stands as a shining example of how creative unity and citizen empowerment can drive meaningful change for a sustainable future. The initiative has been championing the cause of Climate Action, fostering Peace, and building Sustainable Cities and Communities.
