Over three days this week, city representatives from three continents will come together in Medellín, Colombia, to exchange knowledge and develop strategies to accelerate the decarbonisation of public buildings.
Key topics on the agenda include strengthening energy governance, improving data management and monitoring systems for sustainable energy use, promoting good green jobs, and constructing resilient buildings designed to support a healthy and energy-efficient future.
The C40 Academy event establishes Medellín as a hub for collaboration among cities from Latin America, Asia, and Africa. It also reinforces the city’s reputation as a global leader in energy efficiency and its commitment to decarbonising public buildings.
Supported by C40’s UCAP (Urban Climate Action Programme) CAI (Climate Action Implementation) programme, funded by the UK government, Medellín is implementing a strategy to significantly reduce the energy demand of its public buildings. The city is deploying scalable, replicable solutions for both existing and new structures. C40’s support includes conducting energy audits for priority public buildings, developing an energy efficiency platform, strengthening the capacity of public officials, and establishing Medellín’s Decarbonisation Route for public buildings.
This strategy not only aims to cut emissions but also optimise Medellín’s public resources. With support from C40 Cities’ UCAP CAI programme, the city is training public officials to ensure energy efficiency measures are implemented effectively and sustainably. Medellín is also forging strategic partnerships with the private sector and exploring financing models such as energy service company (ESCO) agreements and power purchase agreements (PPAs). This comprehensive approach positions Medellín as a regional leader in decarbonising public buildings. Additionally, the city is developing a monitoring and analysis platform to track energy data, enabling informed decisions to reduce consumption and costs.
During the academy, participants will also explore financing mechanisms for large-scale projects, particularly those focused on retrofitting buildings and adopting clean technologies to lower energy consumption.
Cristina Zambrano, Executive Director of ACI Medellín, said: “This academy will bring together delegates who are actively participating in the transformation of eleven cities, including those that have already led emissions reduction and resource optimization programs. This new achievement of our city in the C40 network adds to the active participation that Mayor Federico Gutiérrez is carrying out in the steering committee of the network, where he represents cities from all over the region in a key space in terms of climate change at a global level”.
Aditi Maheshwari, C40 Managing Director, Climate Action Implementation, said: “Each invited city has a specific profile of needs and projects, which makes this meeting a unique opportunity to exchange effective solutions. The expected outcome is the strengthening of local capacity to manage energy consumption, improve air quality, reduce carbon emissions and, at the same time, promote healthier and more habitable urban environments”.
George Hodgson, UK Ambassador to Colombia, said: “It is a pride for the British government to see Medellín and Colombia leading this global space for cities to advance in their efforts towards energy efficiency and decarbonisation”.
The Climate Action Implementation (CAI) Programme is part of the overarching Urban Climate Action Programme (UCAP) funded by the UK government and delivered in partnership with the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group. The CAI Programme is working in collaboration with 15 cities in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia to deliver at least two priority high impact actions from their climate action plans (CAPs) and embed climate action plans into city governance, planning and decision-making structures, supporting continued monitoring and progressing of climate actions through tailored technical assistance and capacity building. From January 2022 to December 2025, the CAI Programme will support these cities in their paths to half carbon emissions by 2030, become carbon neutral by 2050 and secure a green, fair and equitable future for nearly 104 million residents.