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Redesigning Local Government in Manizales, Colombia
STRATEGYStrengthen local government
CHALLENGE
To address the effects of globalization, history and local environmental factors that have lead to deforestation, soil erosion, water pollution, rapid population growth and poverty
ACTION
Partner with local stakeholders and other levels of government, and embrace national-level changes that strengthen local government and its ability to respond to diverse challenges
PROFILE
Municipality of Manizales, Colombia
Population: 387,000
Land Area:442 square kilometers
Municipal Budget:US$75,500 (171,795,599 Colombian Pesos
CASE
Manizales lies west of the Andes mountain range in the heart of Colombia's coffee-growing region. In the 1970s, an international coffee boom resulted in a rapid expansion of coffee growing areas that lead to a loss of forest cover and subsequently caused erosion. However in 1994, Manizales's economy was left in shambles when international coffee prices fell drastically. The city responded by enacting a number of successful measures that stimulated industrial development but had the unintended side effect of polluting the city's waterways.
Manizales was also trying to address the issue of a rapidly growing population. Illegal settlements were growing in numbers, perched precariously on steep, landslide-prone hillsides. The challenge of managing increased traffic flow also arose as the volume of traffic grew. Deforestation for agriculture has resulted in soil erosion and increased susceptibility to landslides in an area with pre-existing seismic and geological risks.
In 1991, a series of federal legislative steps created a culture of environmental consciousness that raised national awareness of the importance of sustainable development. An environment more conducive to local government management emerged, with the decentralization of power that facilitated sustainable development planning and programming at the local level. For example, Manizales was able to implement a tax surcharge on petrol that raised revenue to the amount of 21% of the municipal budget between 1993 and 1995. The proceeds went to support transportation projects. The funds created also allowed local government to implement environmental education and community programs, provide tax incentives for those protecting important ecological areas in the city and construct housing for residents that were displaced by landslides.
Since 1994, the municipal government of Manizales has capitalized, on these new authorities to include sustainable development principles into its planning processes. Manizales began addressing the issues more comprehensively with the goal of implementing Local Agenda 21 measures into the city's planning processes and engaging citizens in planning and implementing sustainable development measures. The municipality has successfully created a BioPlan-a local environmental action plan that facilitates sustainable development planning and implementation.
The BioPlan evolved with strong partnerships between the municipal government and other agencies, a local university, the private sector, international agencies, and citizens. Multistakeholder involvement in the development of the BioPlan has been crucial in gaining credibility and legitimacy and the partnerships have provided the city with technical and financial support.
- PUBLIC-PRIVATE ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES-
Decentralization within Colombia obliged municipalities to transform public enterprises. Public-private enterprises in Manizales-solid waste management, administration of parks and green areas, water supply management, and sanitation services-are successfully addressing these environmental issues in a fiscally responsible way.
- UNIVERSITY INVOLVEMENT AND PARTNERSHIP BUILDING-
The involvement of the National University of Colombia, as the technical arm of the BioPlan, is crucial. The municipality supported the university to develop the urban environment profile of Manizales, a pilot case for the country. The research was used to implement the first environmental program in the area of transportation including improving transportation corridors and developing related environmental education materials.
- INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT-
After gaining the respect and trust of the international community by creating an accountable, responsive and transparent government, several organizations supported the city technically and financially. International support added the equivalent of 4% to the municipal environmental budget in 1996. The support permitted Manizales to build infrastructure for the protection of the city's hillsides, reforest, purchase land at risk of landslides for conversion into parks and initiate environmental education programs. Cooperation agreements with Latin American and European cities have helped maintain local support for the BioPlan.
- LOCAL CITIZENS- Local Administrative Boards, composed of members elected by residents of each of the 11 communes and legally representing the communities, were involved in developing the BioPlan. The capacity of these citizens and others was increased through involvement in open forums and roundtables and they now hold the local government more accountable for its decisions. For example, in 1999, when the second version of the BioPlan had no modifications or improvements to the municipal government environment policy, there was swift reaction from the universities, neighborhood associations and environmental non-governmental organizations, which resulted in substantial positive changes to the plan.
RESULTS
Since 1994, the BioPlan has provided a "blue-print" to guide the long-term development strategy of the city with environmental, economic and social considerations taken into account.
Under the BioPlan, action plans were designed and implemented for the 11 comunas of Manizales. Projects related to ecotourism, sustainable urban transportation, environmental education and recreation (360 hectares have been preserved as Ecoparks with the city core) were developed. When coupled with the financial revenue raised through local taxes on gasoline, the city has been able to provide environmental education programs, community programming, tax incentives for those protecting areas of ecological importance and construct housing for residents displaced by landslides. As well, three mixed economy enterprises-a solid waste dump, a recycling plant and a center for supplies-were created, generating local employment opportunities.
LESSONS LEARNED
Although changing levels of commitment from local politicians and municipal administrators has been an ongoing issue, the municipal government's championing of the BioPlan has been crucial for its success. The strong support from Manizales's previous mayor was critical in getting the BioPlan started. The continuity of the staff at the state-level environmental authority and at the Institute of Environmental Studies at the university has played a crucial role in maintaining institutional memory and building upon momentum.
Financing the implementation of programs from the BioPlan has been addressed by local taxation, extra funds from donor organizations and from national and local government programs. The state government-of which Manizales is the capital-has committed to providing technical and financial resources to the implementation of Local Environmental Action Plans in the 24 municipalities under its jurisdiction, which will include Manizales's BioPlan.
It is a continuing challenge to keep people informed, interested and involved. There is a need for training around participatory planning and urban environmental management to increase the capacity of the various stakeholders, particularly the city's citizens. Improved access to information for the citizens through an "environmental traffic light system" (which visually communicates the quality of the city's environment), a series of Urban Observation Centres and workshops in the comunas will address some of these shortcomings.
KEY REPLICATION FACTORS
Partnerships with the university, the private sector and other levels of government, together with national-level legislative changes that empower local governments, have worked to strengthen the local government of Manizales. Taxation powers and access to international support for specific projects have increased the resources available. With these legislative and financial powers, and by working in a participatory and consensus-oriented manner, the city has been able to develop and implement a concrete strategy for a sustainable community.
CONTACTS
Senor German Cardona Gutierrez
Mayor of Manizales
Fax: +57-6884-2311
Email: desalcalde@alcaldiamanizales.gov.co
Ms Lilia Millan
Manizales Secretary of Planning
Email: limigarre@starmedia.com
Ms. Luz Stella Velasquez
Associate Professor and Program Coordinator for Urban Environmental Studies,
Institute of Environmental Studies, National University of Colombia
Fax: + 57-8217-8863-182
Email: bioluzve@hotmail.com
Bacolod, Philippines
The City of Bacolod, Philippines, is using gender-conscious budgeting as a strategy to address gender and social inequities. The program was started with support from a prominent women's organization, DAWN (Development for Active Women Networking), after the national government passed an act requiring all governmental agencies to dedicate 5% of their financial budgets to gender and development activities. To ensure that gender concerns are addressed in all aspects of the city budget, each department is required to set aside 5% for gender activities. Similarly, the budgets of the smallest units of local government, the barangays, are not passed by council if they are missing this component. Gender-conscious budgeting has led to gender education throughout the municipal system, as well as increased funding for reproductive health education, community welfare, environmental protections and other key issues.
Porto Alegre, Brazil
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