Queretaro Unveils EU-Backed Metropolitan Mobility Plan

Queretaro’s mobility authorities formally presented the Metropolitan Area’s Comprehensive Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (PIMUS-ZMQ). The project, supported by the European Union as part of the Global Green Challenges initiative, aims to improve the efficiency of public transportation systems in Queretaro, Mexico City, Toluca, Monterrey, and Merida.

Gerardo Cuanalo Santos, director, State Mobility Agency (AMEQ), said the region faces significant mobility challenges linked to its growth and noted ongoing work to restructure the Qrobús public transport system and introduce new mobility options. He highlighted that the EU, through the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Public Administration and Policy (FIAP), is contributing EU€300,000 (US$348,100) to develop the plan. “This project will help us establish a clear guide and a clear vision of what we want for our state,” he said.

PIMUS-ZMQ will offer technical assistance, capacity-building studies and planning tools to support integrated, safe and low-emission mobility. Officials said the initiative has strong potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen long-term transport planning across the metropolitan area.

Ana Cirujano Hernández, head of the Economic Development and Environment Team, said FIAP is responsible for project execution under the EU’s delegated cooperation framework. She emphasized the broader social benefits of sustainable transport. “We cannot forget that better transportation and better sustainability in transportation improve people’s quality of life,” she said. “It enhances their ability to access employment, balance personal and professional lives, and secure the future of the population.”

The launch follows a series of sustainability initiatives launched within the state in 2025. In early November, the Citizen Participation Council for Urban Development and Sustainable Infrastructure in Queretaro presented a new sustainable housing model designed to demonstrate the feasibility of affordable, low-impact construction.

Miguel Vega, council member and president of the board of the Autonomous University of Queretaro, outlined the initiative’s goal of proving that environmentally responsible housing can be accessible. “Sustainable housing must not be unreachable or elitist. It is both a social demand and an ethical and technical urgency that we must address today,” Vega said. He noted that the project aims to eliminate gas consumption, reduce electricity dependence on the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), and promote efficient water use and reuse.

Katia Reséndiz Jaime, president, Citizen Council for Environmental Education of Queretaro (CCAEQ), detailed the technologies to be incorporated into the demonstration home, including sensor-equipped lighting, a magnetic induction stove, a water potabilization electrical system, and hydraulic infrastructure designed for water reuse. The initiative’s objectives include lowering carbon emissions, advancing a circular water economy, improving residents’ wellbeing, and ensuring long-term economic viability.

Meanwhile, in September, state authorities revealed that over 400 circular economy initiatives have been developed under the Queretaro Circular Economy System (SECQ), launched in 2021. Marco Antonio Del Prete, Minister of Sustainable Development (SEDESU) of Queretaro, reported that over the past five years, 39 circular economy mechanisms have been established, alongside the training of 721 people in the field. In addition, 330 companies and 55 institutions operating in the state have participated in 437 circular economy initiatives, generating savings of more than MX$1 billion (US$54.5 million). “It is not only about economic savings, it is about the environmental impact of these circular economy initiatives,” Del Prete said.

Beyond the financial impact, Del Prete listed resource savings achieved through the system, including 3 million m3 of water, equivalent to the annual consumption of 14,000 households; 30,000GWh of energy, equivalent to the consumption of 15,000 households; and a reduction of nearly 1Mt of CO2, equal to the emissions of 202,275 cars per year. “The projects proposed by companies will, over their lifetimes, save 747,000t of materials and waste, which is roughly equivalent to what 2 million people generate. This is the effort we are making. Through environmental policies we have managed to promote economic development to improve quality of life,” he said.

The SECQ, implemented in 2021 by SEDESU in collaboration with the Queretaro Automotive Cluster, is designed to be rolled out in stages through 2027. The current phase, covering 2023–2025, aims to involve 400 companies and develop 400 circular economy initiatives, a goal that has already been surpassed. Meanwhile, projections for the 2026–2027 phase include reaching 500 companies, as well as 10 institutions, 15 local facilitators, and 800 initiatives. In line with this strategy, the state government aims to reduce the growth rate of CO2 emissions by 8% by 2027.