Switzerland, with its vast experience in air quality management, has been supporting the formulation of an Air Pollution Prevention, Reduction and Control Plan in Cúcuta (North Santander, Colombia), in close coordination with local and regional authorities and the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development.

After facing a difficult air quality problem up to 2020, Cúcuta is now becoming a regional benchmark for the systems and solutions implemented to improve it.

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in Colombia supported the Air Pollution Prevention, Reduction and Control Plan for the city and the region led by the Autonomous Regional Corporation of the North-Eastern Border (CORPONOR), the Cúcuta Mayor’s Office, the Government of North Santander and the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development. The 18-month consultancy was carried out by the firm Hill Consulting, which delivered the parameters of the planning instrument to facilitate informed decision-making on concrete strategies and investment in specific actions to reduce air pollution in Cúcuta and its metropolitan area.

To date, Hill’s results have facilitated the roadmap for the Prevention, Reduction and Control Plan for air quality in Cúcuta, as a monitoring parameter for 2023 – 2026 and 2026 – 2030.

The next steps are decisive. The city will have to implement all the measures, recommendations and policies that have been identified and recommended. To learn more about this initiative, the sum of efforts and prioritisation of actions that were made to improve the health and well-being of nearly one million inhabitants in this region, click on this link.

Useful links:
PDF Evidence-based decisions to improve air quality in Cúcuta, Colombia (spanish)
PDF SDC’s commitment to clean air for all (esp / eng)
PDF Prevention, Reduction and Control Plan for air quality in Cúcuta (spanish)