Ministry of Environment: Medellin Environmental Quality Best in Colombia

The Ministry of Environment on October 29 unveiled a study showing that Medellin ranks best among all Colombian cities in environmental quality – but with only a “moderate” ranking.

On a scale of zero (horrible) to 80-and-above (excellent), Medellin took first place with a 55 rating, followed by Bogota ((50.9) and Ibague (45.2). The worst city for environmental quality was Cucuta (6.5), the study shows.

The “index of urban environmental quality” (ICAU in Spanish initials) measured 16 factors, including environmental contamination;  availability, quantity and quality of public “green” space; the extent of available public utilities (including clean-water and sewage treatment systems); the quality and extent of public transport; the amount of urban space protected from urban development; and extent of programs dedicated to involving citizens in environmental education.

The “ICAU” study covered 128 cities, representing 63% (29.7 million inhabitants) of the national population.

For cities of at least 500,000 inhabitants, the study found that urban environmental quality in Colombia is “moderate” or “poor.” Among those big cities, Cartagena failed to deliver sufficient data for the study, resulting in an “invalid” ranking, according to the Ministry.

Those big cities with more than 500,000 inhabitants with “poor” rankings included Bucaramanga (35.9), Cali (33) and Barranquilla (21.7), according to the Ministry.

In cities with populations from 100,000 to 500,000, Santa Marta, Maicao, Sincelejo, Buenaventura, Quibdó y Riohacha failed to provide sufficient data, resulting in “invalid” rankings.

Among those middle-sized cities that did provide sufficient data, Facatativá scored a 42.7 ranking, followed by Floridablanca (41.9), Duitama (44.9), Bello (47.6) and Itagüí (44.7).

Mid-sized cities with “poor” rankings included Soacha, Zipaquirá, Girón, Piedecuesta, Florencia, Neiva, Pereira, Dosquebradas, Manizales, Envigado, Armenia, Cartago, Tuluá, Villavicencio, Yopal, Malambo, Valledupar, Apartadó, Girardot and Fusagasugá.

Mid-sized cities with “very poor” rankings included Barrancabermeja (13.5), Tunja (17.7), Palmira (19.8), Popayán (15), Pasto (20) and Tumaco (12), according to the study.