La Paz

AREA:
79.44 km2 (30.67 sq mi)
POPULATION:
250,141
Mexico

Photo by Sally Ville / Unsplash

La Paz, the capital of Baja California Sur, joined the GEF-6 Global Platform for Sustainable Cities (GPSC) to pioneer clean energy solutions and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. As one of Mexico’s leading eco-tourism destinations and the gateway to the Gulf of California’s unique marine biodiversity, La Paz faces high air-pollution levels due to outdated fuel-oil power plants disconnected from the national grid. Through the SCIAP project, the city is deploying rooftop solar power plants across municipal buildings, schools, and public facilities, diversifying its local energy matrix and cutting greenhouse-gas emissions by nearly 40,000 tons of CO₂ equivalent over the project’s life cycle. The initiative demonstrates how renewable energy investments can improve air quality, reduce public energy costs, and catalyze low-carbon transitions in coastal cities with fragile ecosystems.

Recent Initiatives

Transit-Oriented Development

Transit-Oriented Development integrates transport planning, land use, and urban design to create compact, connected, and livable cities.

Municipal PPP

Municipal Public-Private Partnerships are long-term collaborations between local governments and private entities to deliver infrastructure and public services.

Gender and Cities

Women and girls face disproportionate climate impacts in cities, making gender equality essential to achieving resilient, inclusive urban development.
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