On World Environment Day, Mayor Clara Brugada Molina unveiled the Mexico City Environmental Plan with ten strategic axes to boost sustainability, protect forests and engage communities.
On World Environment Day in San Miguel Topilejo, Mayor Clara Brugada Molina led a ceremony to announce the Mexico City Environmental Plan. Local and federal authorities, representatives of communal lands, youth groups and staff from the Ministry of the Environment (SEDEMA) gathered in the Bosque de Agua to mark the occasion. This symbolic event reaffirmed the capital’s commitment to protecting its natural resources and fostering community involvement.
Environment Secretary Julia Álvarez Icaza stressed that the gathering went beyond symbolic meaning. “This isn’t reforestation alone. It is ecosystem restoration and reconciliation. It is part of comprehensive reparations,” she said. Álvarez Icaza added that these efforts link to a broader strategy that involves all levels of government, agrarian communities and local citizens.
Since the start of this administration, the government has taken decisive action against illegal logging, especially in critical conservation areas such as Topilejo. “Just a few months into this administration, we can inform residents that the area is now under control,” Álvarez Icaza reported, highlighting successful territorial deployments and daily operations to defend conservation land.
Mayor Brugada Molina then introduced the ten strategic axes of the new plan, describing it as an ambitious policy that targets both conservation land and the urban fabric of the city. Those pillars are:
- Green city with massive reforestation
Over the next six years, the city will plant 40 million trees, plants and shrubs in urban and conservation areas. The plan also calls for creating 10,000 green blocks—small, community-led gardens that will transform neighborhoods and strengthen civic engagement in reforestation efforts. - Clean and sustainable mobility
Public transportation will shift to electric mobility. New cable buses will begin operation in Tlalpan, Álvaro Obregón, Magdalena Contreras, Cuajimalpa, Milpa Alta and Xochimilco. The plan will also expand bicycle lanes and modernize concessioned buses to lower emissions and improve air quality. - Circular city and waste recycling
A Circular Economy Park will rise in the western part of Mexico City. It will include facilities for recycling organic waste, tires, rubble and construction materials. The park will also feature composting and hydrothermal carbonization plants. Officials aim to recycle 50 percent of the city’s waste by the end of the six-year term. - City with ecological housing
The administration will promote eco-technologies in homes, such as solar water heaters, rainwater harvesting systems and low-water-use toilets. These features will be integrated into housing programs and home-loan packages to encourage homeowners to adopt sustainable practices. - City with clean air and metropolitan vision
In coordination with the State of Mexico, the vehicle inspection program and the “Hoy No Circula” restrictions will undergo a thorough review. The goal is to strengthen regional governance for air-quality management and ensure policies reflect the broader metropolitan area. - Protection of all living beings
The city plans to build two new public veterinary hospitals and more animal care clinics in Utopías. Additional dog parks will open across the city. The administration will reinforce its animal welfare policy, recognizing that respect for all living beings is fundamental to a healthy city. - Defense of Conservation Land and Water Forest
Authorities will step up operations against illegal logging and work to recover invaded properties—more than 170 hectares have already returned to public control. The plan will support rural producers through land markets and direct assistance to promote sustainable land management practices. - Biodiverse and productive city
Officials will install 4,500 pollinator gardens and develop 1,000 urban and peri-urban gardens. These efforts aim to boost food sovereignty, educate residents about the environment and restore local ecosystems through hands-on projects. - Recovery of urban rivers and ravines
The plan calls for the restoration of 35 kilometers of urban rivers and more than 600 hectares of ravines. Through ecological planning, runoff control, reforestation and green technologies, the administration expects to rehabilitate these vital waterways and green corridors. - Nature tourism and the green economy
The eco-tax will be strengthened and incentives offered for sustainable building design. Officials will develop a network of 20 tourist parks and agroecological routes to link the city with surrounding rural areas. The aim is to foster responsible tourism and generate income for local producers.
“Protecting the forest means protecting the aquifers and the species that live here,” Brugada Molina said, underlining the administration’s long-term vision. She closed by urging collective action. “Acting locally transforms the global. Every tree planted, every space protected, strengthens our city and the planet.”
Tlalpan Mayor Gaby Osorio voiced her support and thanked residents for their role in monitoring the forest. “Protecting our forest, young people, is protecting our future and our lives,” she said. José Luis Montero, representing the Topilejo community, praised the collaboration between institutions and locals. “Comrades, without you there would be no forest.”
As part of the ceremony, SEDEMA staff were honored for their service. Miguel Ángel Delgado celebrated 25 years at the San Luis Tlaxialtemalco Forest Nursery. Biologist María Eugenia Elsa Díaz Batres marked 58 years at the National Insect Collection at the Museum of Natural History. Biologist Dafne González Mancilla received recognition for her 11 years as an environmental inspector.
The announcement of the Mexico City Environmental Plan on World Environment Day signals a fresh start for the capital’s efforts to build a greener, fairer and more resilient city. With ten clear pillars guiding policy, the administration aims to inspire residents, strengthen partnerships and ensure that environmental protection remains a top priority in every neighborhood.
