Clemente Castañeda calls for urban afforestation in marginalized areas

Senator Clemente Castañeda, coordinator of the Movimiento Ciudadano parliamentary group, has called on Mexico's 32 federal entities to implement sidewalk afforestation programs. He emphasized that these programs should prioritize peripheral, popular, and highly marginalized areas to combat what he termed ‘green inequality.’

Castañeda noted that urban tree coverage has historically favored high-value areas while neglecting irregular settlements and low-income neighborhoods. This disparity creates urban heat islands, where temperatures can rise up to 8 degrees Celsius higher than in forested areas. He warned that such inequality impacts public health, contributing to respiratory illnesses and heatstroke, particularly among vulnerable populations like children, the elderly, and informal workers.