Mexico City: An Opportunity in a Sinking City

Mexico City is facing an environmental dystopia marked by three major challenges:

1. Flooding that causes the collapse of road infrastructure;

2. Progressive deforestation driven by poorly regulated and profit-driven real estate development; and

3. Pollution from the Tula thermoelectric plant, which continues to blow contaminants into the Valley of Mexico.

These conditions have been present for as long as I can remember, only worsening over time. That is why it is urgent to open a public conversation about the root causes — so we can begin imagining real solutions and move toward a truly sustainable city.

The city's environmental problems originate from its foundation: the drying and destruction of five great lakes, replaced by concrete and roadways. Rivers were encased in pipes, sacrificed for an urban planning model built around the car.

But “the river always finds its way,” and every rainy season, the city’s fast lanes flood. A powerful example is the Río de la Piedad. Once a flowing body of water, it was converted into a major road — and now reclaims its space, swallowing cars and paralyzing traffic when the rains come.

Recently, there’s been growing debate about “daylighting” the city’s rivers — removing them from underground. While this may sound utopian to some and threatening to car-centric culture, it also opens up a path to reimagine the future, one where nature and city coexist.

The scenario focuses on one of the city’s central rivers, called La Piedad. Its reopening envisions the creation of green spaces, dedicated lanes for public transportation, wetlands for wastewater treatment, and recreational areas along its course.

The project faces challenges, including a high estimated cost of MX$17 billion (US$907 million) and the need for sustained political commitment over time. However, it represents an opportunity for public-private partnerships that could generate incentives to reward investment [1].

A notable example is the Cheonggyecheon urban renewal project in South Korea, which demonstrates that rivers can be successfully restored. In 1958, the city's river was covered with concrete, and by the early 1970s, a 16-meter-wide highway was built over it. Over time, the highway came to be seen as a major contributor to poor air quality and environmental degradation.

In 2003, with an investment of US$367 million — now estimated to yield social benefits worth US$3.5 billion — the Seoul government, in collaboration with local business associations and civil society, undertook the river’s restoration [2].

Meanwhile, real estate development in the city has spiraled out of control, driven more by financial speculation than the provision of housing. This has led not only to a sharp rise in housing prices but also to the encroachment upon land and trees. Reports of tree-felling to make room for more buildings have become increasingly common.

For instance, the construction of housing complexes with over 700 units and other private developments in Mexico City has led to the felling of 1,607 trees and the loss or damage of approximately 69,281m2 of green areas [3].

Existing regulations are insufficient to prevent developers from using environmentally hostile strategies. Stronger oversight is needed to monitor construction practices, including identifying the extent of pruning, felling, or, as has been reported, the deliberate drying of trees to justify their removal.

There are, however, examples of sustainable real estate development. The trend is growing, with bioclimatic buildings designed to adapt to the local climate and reduce energy consumption, the use of recycled and low-impact materials, and the integration of passive architecture supported by technology. Also noteworthy is the incorporation of green spaces that enhance urban environments and well-being, along with the adoption of certifications, such as LEED or EDGE, which ensure high environmental standards.

Finally, the Tula thermoelectric power plant is one of the main sources of pollution in the Mexico City metropolitan area. Although not located nearby, its emissions travel in such a way that they concentrate in the city’s air, accounting for 20% of its pollution [4].

There is an ongoing debate about shutting the plant down and replacing its energy capacity with renewable sources. What has hindered this transition is the concern over how to protect the livelihoods of families in Hidalgo who depend on the plant. This brings to the forefront the concepts of a just energy transition and green jobs. While it may seem daunting to retrain an entire workforce for the renewable energy sector, it is a reality we can no longer ignore.

An inspiring example is Germany’s Ruhr region, where, following the closure of coal mines, public policies were implemented to support workforce retraining, investment in innovation, and economic diversification. These measures successfully transformed former industrial zones into clean energy hubs, proving that a just transition is possible with vision and political will [5].

Mexico City has the potential to evolve into a sustainable city, but as the examples cited show, this cannot be achieved by government action alone — it also depends on openness and a willingness to collaborate with citizens and the private sector. In sum, the conviction to be open to confront the climate crisis and its risks to protect the future of the city.

Sources:

[1]  Globaqua News. (2024). Sacar a la superficie los ríos entubados de Ciudad de México: cambiar los coches por el agua. En: https://www.globaqua.com/noticia/sacar-a-la-superficie-los-rios-entubados-de-ciudad-de-mexico-cambiar-los-coches-por-el-agua/. 

[2] ONU-Habitat. (2018). De la autopista al espacio público. En: https://onu-habitat.org/index.php/de-la-autopista-al-espacio-publico. 

[3]  Estrada, Dana. (2025). Crecen proyectos inmobiliarios, pero disminuye arbolado urbano en la CDMX. El Sol de México. En: https://oem.com.mx/elsoldemexico/metropoli/crecen-proyectos-inmobiliarios-pero-disminuye-arbolado-urbano-en-la-cdmx-21831879.

[4] Redacción AN. (2025). 20% de la contaminación que respiramos en CDMX viene de Tula: Monroy. Aristegui Noticias. En: https://aristeguinoticias.com/0701/mexico/20-de-la-contaminacion-que-respiramos-en-cdmx-viene-de-tula-monroy-enterate/.

[5] International Energy Agency. (2023). Germany’s closure of hard coal mines in the Ruhr and Saar regions. En: https://www.iea.org/policies/17716-germanys-closure-of-hard-coal-mines-in-the-ruhr-and-saar-regions?utm_source=chatgpt.com.