Regional Panorama, Latin America: Megacities and Sustainability

The Latin America megacities and sustainability panorama is an effort aimed to understand the complex urban processes and to discuss urban risks under sustainability criteria. In order to define research agendas as well as for policy design purposes, a closer look at the challenges of metropolitan areas in Latin America requires an identification of common urban trends in the region. Although metropolitan cities and regions in LAC present common problems and challenges, the intensity of specific aspects related to sustainability changes from one city to another. The present report discusses the main sustainability issues and challenges that have arisen in six selected Latin American metropolis: Bogotá, Buenos Aires, Lima, Mexico City, Santiago de Chile and São Paulo.

It contains a review of a comprehensive set of indicators in these six selected metropolitan cities. The information was gathered via indicator-based data that was provided by national statistic offices, sub-national governmental institutions, international organization and scientific research publications among others. Comparability of detailed information depends on available data. More than 100 different indicators belonging to the dimensions of "human life", "natural resources" "social resources", "equal opportunities" and "productive potential" were used. Clear differences between the main cities can be identified in most of the different analyzed sustainability indicators.

Based on trends and achievements, in the final part of the report these six cities are discussed as separate cases, focusing on specific challenges for each city, in terms of policy implementation in different aspects of metropolitan development. Environmental, economic, social and governance issues are discussed for these six metropolitan cities in Latin America.