We must understand sustainability as a multidimensional issue, that is, an issue that involves not only actions for environmental protection, but also different aspects of our daily local management
José Manuel Palacios Parra
• Mayor of La Reina •
We must understand sustainability as a multidimensional issue, that is, an issue that involves not only actions for environmental protection, but also different aspects of our daily local management
José Manuel Palacios Parra
• Mayor of La Reina •
This question was one of the first concerns we recognised six years ago when we assumed responsibility for the municipal management of the comuna of La Reina, Santiago de Chile. This response meant understanding and addressing local practices as crucial to articulating meaningful and more effective responses to our current sustainability and climate change challenges. In this regard, we set out our work based on three principles:
First, understanding sustainability as a multidimensional issue, that is, an issue that involves not only actions for environmental protection, but also different aspects of our daily local management. For example, safety and transport are manifested in concrete local actions such as a new provision of street lights, the improvement of pedestrian walkways, as well as the maintenance of trees and their proper pruning.
Second, our goal will always be the well-being of our people, whether they live, visit or work in La Reina. Therefore, there is no local public policy that does not seek to address the needs of each of them.
Third, just as we are aware of our local skills and capacities, we are also aware of our institutional limitations. Therefore, we believe it is valuable to promote collaboration at multiple scales, at both local and central government levels.
In addressing these three principles, climate change and sustainability challenges have made us realise that local authorities are the first responders to global challenges. Local governments have the capacity to act and mobilise coordination and collaboration efforts between public, private, and civil society actors. Furthermore, we in the local government have the potential to support actions in the long term. However, none of this is possible if there is no coordination in place, whether intra- or inter-institutional.
Based on these motivations, our current call is to work together. We are convinced that the challenge of climate change involves all of us. It is our challenge as local governments to sustain collaborative practices to support these objectives, together.
This question was one of the first concerns we recognised six years ago when we assumed responsibility for the municipal management of the comuna of La Reina, Santiago de Chile. This response meant understanding and addressing local practices as crucial to articulating meaningful and more effective responses to our current sustainability and climate change challenges. In this regard, we set out our work based on three principles:
First, understanding sustainability as a multidimensional issue, that is, an issue that involves not only actions for environmental protection, but also different aspects of our daily local management. For example, safety and transport are manifested in concrete local actions such as a new provision of street lights, the improvement of pedestrian walkways, as well as the maintenance of trees and their proper pruning.
Second, our goal will always be the well-being of our people, whether they live, visit or work in La Reina. Therefore, there is no local public policy that does not seek to address the needs of each of them.
Third, just as we are aware of our local skills and capacities, we are also aware of our institutional limitations. Therefore, we believe it is valuable to promote collaboration at multiple scales, at both local and central government levels.
In addressing these three principles, climate change and sustainability challenges have made us realise that local authorities are the first responders to global challenges. Local governments have the capacity to act and mobilise coordination and collaboration efforts between public, private, and civil society actors. Furthermore, we in the local government have the potential to support actions in the long term. However, none of this is possible if there is no coordination in place, whether intra- or inter-institutional.
Based on these motivations, our current call is to work together. We are convinced that the challenge of climate change involves all of us. It is our challenge as local governments to sustain collaborative practices to support these objectives, together.
In light of our commitment to the contemporary challenges of sustainability and climate change and considering our institutional capabilities and abilities to face them, we have recently created an Environmental Services & Operations Department in our comuna of La Reina. In this new department, we focus on the collaborative dimension of sustainability at the local level. We have established a multidisciplinary team leading local environmental planning, programs, and activities, including environmental education, administration of comunal parks, environmental assessment, and projects related to sustainability. This division is in charge of coordinating the different actions of different departments as well as different levels of government, in response to the multidimensional challenges of sustainability and climate change. It also brings together the project management of mobility, public spaces, security, and prevention projects in this regard.
área de educación ambiental, administración de parques comunales, evaluación ambiental y proyectos vinculados a la sustentabilidad.
In light of our commitment to the contemporary challenges of sustainability and climate change and considering our institutional capabilities and abilities to face them, we have recently created an Environmental Services & Operations Department in our comuna of La Reina. In this new department, we focus on the collaborative dimension of sustainability at the local level. We have established a multidisciplinary team leading local environmental planning, programs, and activities, including environmental education, administration of comunal parks, environmental assessment, and projects related to sustainability. This division is in charge of coordinating the different actions of different departments as well as different levels of government, in response to the multidimensional challenges of sustainability and climate change. It also brings together the project management of mobility, public spaces, security, and prevention projects in this regard.
área de educación ambiental, administración de parques comunales, evaluación ambiental y proyectos vinculados a la sustentabilidad.
‘Know your tree’ is an innovative local initiative in our metropolitan urban context in Santiago, Chile. This program aims to promote a comprehensive management of urban trees in our comuna, La Reina. We have started by carrying out a census and diagnosis of 100% of the tree species in our local area, which now each have their respective QR code, allowing the community to know the status of the tree, and thus participate in action related to their maintenance. As this is a work in process, the next stages are to rectify all challenges associated with the maintenance of our trees.
We have begun the reforestation of Mahuida Park in 2022, signing an agreement between the Municipality of La Reina and ‘Cultiva Coorporation’:
In 2019, 3 hectares of Mahuida Park were reforested with 4,000 tree species with the advice of Cultiva, based on a previous agreement.
In 2022, a further 1,200 trees were planted using the Miyawaki system, a method that allows vegetation to grow rapidly. The remaining 2,800 were planted in conjunction with the community, who came voluntarily to participate in the process.
Within the Park, we built an Environmental Education Centre (CEA), a space focused on promoting environmental care and sustainable culture.
The CEA is comprised of four educational footpaths. One of them, «Guardians of the Andes», was launched in 2022 and its main topic is to show how climate change affects the geography of the foothills. Its target audiences are children and adolescents.
In January 2021 and after very hard work, the Municipality of La Reina together with the Mahuida Park team, the Ministry of Environment, and the support of the GEF Mountain Biological Corridors project, we launched the first Municipal Nature Reserve (Renamu) in the Metropolitan Region of Santiago.
«RENAMU Mawida» is an innovative plan for protection, management, and conservation at the local planning level, which comprises a 140-hectare plot of land. It involves an investment of more than $100 million to address the challenges of climate change in our Andean foothills.
‘Know your tree’ is an innovative local initiative in our metropolitan urban context in Santiago, Chile. This program aims to promote a comprehensive management of urban trees in our comuna, La Reina. We have started by carrying out a census and diagnosis of 100% of the tree species in our local area, which now each have their respective QR code, allowing the community to know the status of the tree, and thus participate in action related to their maintenance. As this is a work in process, the next stages are to rectify all challenges associated with the maintenance of our trees.
We have begun the reforestation of Mahuida Park in 2022, signing an agreement between the Municipality of La Reina and ‘Cultiva Coorporation’:
In 2019, 3 hectares of Mahuida Park were reforested with 4,000 tree species with the advice of Cultiva, based on a previous agreement.
In 2022, a further 1,200 trees were planted using the Miyawaki system, a method that allows vegetation to grow rapidly. The remaining 2,800 were planted in conjunction with the community, who came voluntarily to participate in the process.
Within the Park, we built an Environmental Education Centre (CEA), a space focused on promoting environmental care and sustainable culture.
The CEA is comprised of four educational footpaths. One of them, «Guardians of the Andes», was launched in 2022 and its main topic is to show how climate change affects the geography of the foothills. Its target audiences are children and adolescents.
In January 2021 and after very hard work, the Municipality of La Reina together with the Mahuida Park team, the Ministry of Environment, and the support of the GEF Mountain Biological Corridors project, we launched the first Municipal Nature Reserve (Renamu) in the Metropolitan Region of Santiago.
«RENAMU Mawida» is an innovative plan for protection, management, and conservation at the local planning level, which comprises a 140-hectare plot of land. It involves an investment of more than $100 million to address the challenges of climate change in our Andean foothills.
In January 2021 and after very hard work, the Municipality of La Reina together with the Mahuida Park team, the Ministry of Environment, and the support of the GEF Mountain Biological Corridors project, we launched the first Municipal Nature Reserve (Renamu) in the Metropolitan Region of Santiago.
«RENAMU Mawida» is an innovative plan for protection, management, and conservation at the local planning level, which comprises a 140-hectare plot of land. It involves an investment of more than $100 million to address the challenges of climate change in our Andean foothills.
In January 2021 and after very hard work, the Municipality of La Reina together with the Mahuida Park team, the Ministry of Environment, and the support of the GEF Mountain Biological Corridors project, we launched the first Municipal Nature Reserve (Renamu) in the Metropolitan Region of Santiago.
«RENAMU Mawida» is an innovative plan for protection, management, and conservation at the local planning level, which comprises a 140-hectare plot of land. It involves an investment of more than $100 million to address the challenges of climate change in our Andean foothills.
From the beginning of 2020, we purchased electric motorbikes for use as ‘comunal’ security fleet vehicles. These are four high-end Zero motorbikes that are being used by patrolmen of the Security Department.
We recently launched a fleet of 5 electric buses as a means of local public transport, free of charge. Each bus emits 4 tonnes less C02 than would a diesel bus. This initiative is part of a sustainable transport plan with a mixed financial system to contribute to our emission reduction goals.
La Reina provided its neighbors with the first wave of dockless bike share in Chile. Mobike became a successful initiative to promote the bicycle as a means of transport at the local level.
We are introducing electric scooters to promote this novel means of transport. We see them as supporting active travel and as discouraging car use. La Reina has three companies that provide this service: Lime, Movo and Grin.
From the beginning of 2020, we purchased electric motorbikes for use as ‘comunal’ security fleet vehicles. These are four high-end Zero motorbikes that are being used by patrolmen of the Security Department.
We recently launched a fleet of 5 electric buses as a means of local public transport, free of charge. Each bus emits 4 tonnes less C02 than would a diesel bus. This initiative is part of a sustainable transport plan with a mixed financial system to contribute to our emission reduction goals.
La Reina provided its neighbors with the first wave of dockless bike share in Chile. Mobike became a successful initiative to promote the bicycle as a means of transport at the local level.
We are introducing electric scooters to promote this novel means of transport. We see them as supporting active travel and as discouraging car use. La Reina has three companies that provide this service: Lime, Movo and Grin.
We just launched a novel street light system, based on white LED technology, recognising that our comunal infrastructure and services are also a matter of sustainability. In addition to this new infrastructure, we also have a Central Security Integration. This is a remote management incorporated in the new LED street light system, allowing preventive actions in the neighbourhoods based on artificial intelligence.
La telegestión es una de las novedades del nuevo Sistema de Luminarias LED. Este avance permite vincular el alumbrado
público a la Central de Seguridad de La Reina, generando
acciones preventivas en los barrios a partir de la inteligencia
artificial y sustentable.
We just launched a novel street light system, based on white LED technology, recognising that our comunal infrastructure and services are also a matter of sustainability. In addition to this new infrastructure, we also have a Central Security Integration. This is a remote management incorporated in the new LED street light system, allowing preventive actions in the neighbourhoods based on artificial intelligence.
La telegestión es una de las novedades del nuevo Sistema de Luminarias LED. Este avance permite vincular el alumbrado
público a la Central de Seguridad de La Reina, generando
acciones preventivas en los barrios a partir de la inteligencia
artificial y sustentable.
«La Reina Recicla» is our home recycling service available to all our neighbourhoods and where all residents collaborate in separating and disposing of their recyclable materials. Collection trucks come to every home to collect bottles, glass, paper, and cans, as well as other recyclable materials.
In addition, the system has a free smartphone app that informs users about the day and schedule of the truck’s arrival. In 2021 1,180 tonnes of different materials were reused, including bottles, aluminium cans, glass, and Tetra Pak. We highlight this last material, which was incorporated in the second stage of the service, as they are not always able to be recycled.
We are implementing a network of recycling points in different areas of our comuna, which will be part of the project «Construction of a Recycling Point Network in the Metropolitan Region», promoted and financed by the Regional Government of Santiago.
We have one day a week of a free collection of large recyclable materials, such as armchairs, washing machines, and furniture, among others. In doing so, we are contributing with specific measures to directly tackle micro-dumps to meet our sustainability and environmental protection goals.
We also have incorporated schools into the «La Reina Recycles» program. It implies not only the coordination to collect the recycled material produced there, but the program also seeks to promote the importance of these sustainability habits in future generations.
«La Reina Recicla» is our home recycling service available to all our neighbourhoods and where all residents collaborate in separating and disposing of their recyclable materials. Collection trucks come to every home to collect bottles, glass, paper, and cans, as well as other recyclable materials.
In addition, the system has a free smartphone app that informs users about the day and schedule of the truck’s arrival. In 2021 1,180 tonnes of different materials were reused, including bottles, aluminium cans, glass, and Tetra Pak. We highlight this last material, which was incorporated in the second stage of the service, as they are not always able to be recycled.
We are implementing a network of recycling points in different areas of our comuna, which will be part of the project «Construction of a Recycling Point Network in the Metropolitan Region», promoted and financed by the Regional Government of Santiago.
We have one day a week of a free collection of large recyclable materials, such as armchairs, washing machines, and furniture, among others. In doing so, we are contributing with specific measures to directly tackle micro-dumps to meet our sustainability and environmental protection goals.
We also have incorporated schools into the «La Reina Recycles» program. It implies not only the coordination to collect the recycled material produced there, but the program also seeks to promote the importance of these sustainability habits in future generations.
This project comprises the largest urban reforestation in recent years in our comuna. 352 new native trees are planned to restore the San Carlos Canal, between Arrieta and Francisco Bilbao streets, creating a large green lung throughout this area.
An intervention was carried out in 25 squares in La Reina. The plan included the incorporation of green areas, as well as children’s playgrounds and new furniture made from recycled materials.
A diagnostic is currently being carried out in pedestrian areas as well as those areas separating two traffic lanes, where micro-dumps are occurring. In order to improve these spaces, grass, and plants with low water consumption are being incorporated. This work is carried out in conjunction with the community, which is committed to keeping these new green areas clean.
This project comprises the largest urban reforestation in recent years in our comuna. 352 new native trees are planned to restore the San Carlos Canal, between Arrieta and Francisco Bilbao streets, creating a large green lung throughout this area.
An intervention was carried out in 25 squares in La Reina. The plan included the incorporation of green areas, as well as children’s playgrounds and new furniture made from recycled materials.
A diagnostic is currently being carried out in pedestrian areas as well as those areas separating two traffic lanes, where micro-dumps are occurring. In order to improve these spaces, grass, and plants with low water consumption are being incorporated. This work is carried out in conjunction with the community, which is committed to keeping these new green areas clean.
