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Globally, the scale and pace of urbanization have transformed the structure of territorial governance into the complex realm of metropolitan governance. In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), urbanization has profoundly reshaped cities, necessitating new forms of metropolitan governance. With over 80% of the population residing in urban areas—outpacing Europe and far ahead of Asia and Africa—the region’s urban areas have extended beyond traditional city boundaries (UN, 2022). This rapid growth has led to “deterritorialization,” where urban functions disperse beyond administrative limits, creating polycentric and networked structures.
For example, Quito’s urban area expanded 4.1 times between 1988 and 2013 (Atlas of Urban Expansion, 2016), showcasing the rapid spatial growth typical of LAC cities. Urban growth is not always equal. Across the Region, there is a correlation between urban inequality and city size. Cities like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro exhibit GINI indices above 0.6, highlighting severe urban inequality. Meanwhile, Buenos Aires and Santiago show indices around 0.5 (World Bank, 2022). Addressing such disparities requires metropolitan strategies that include citizen participation, intersectoral coordination, resource decentralization, and capacity building. Effective governance must integrate various city dimensions, including the economy, mobility, and environmental and social sustainability. For instance, metropolitan areas must develop strategic plans addressing water management, public transportation, and social housing to ensure comprehensive planning and coordination.
Áreas metropolitanas y población mundial. Fuente: Lo Metropolitano: escala, complejidad y gobernanza. Crédito: Groundlab.
Moreover, the rapid urban growth in LAC has led to significant environmental challenges. The doubling of urban footprints has strained infrastructure and services. São Paulo’s macrometropolis, spanning 53,000 square kilometers and housing over 33.5 million people, underscores the immense scale of urban expansion (IBGE, 2022). Such growth necessitates new governance frameworks to manage complex interdependencies between urban, rural, and natural systems. Environmental pressures, such as climate change, further complicate metropolitan governance. Cities must integrate climate adaptation strategies that transcend jurisdictional boundaries.
Long-term projections indicate that by 2100, sea levels could rise between 10 and 90 centimeters, with global temperatures increasing by 1.4 to 5.8 degrees Celsius (IPCC, 2018). These changes could displace entire cities, with significant impacts on metropolitan areas. In fact, between 2010 and 2019, the global migrant population increased from 214 million to 272 million. Environmental factors related to climate change could displace up to 200 million additional people by 2050 (IOM, 2022), many of whom will move to metropolitan areas. Metropolitan governance must anticipate and manage these migration flows, ensuring adequate support for health, housing, and education.
In summary, metropolitan governance in LAC must evolve to address the scale and complexity of contemporary urbanization and future trends. By redefining territorial units, enhancing technological integration, and fostering strategic coordination, metropolitan areas can better manage growth and development. Addressing environmental, social, and economic challenges requires innovative governance frameworks that transcend traditional boundaries, promoting sustainable and equitable urban futures. But, how do we redefine the unit and governance mechanism of metropolitan governance?
Bogotá, Colombia. Fuente: Lo Metropolitano: escala, complejidad y gobernanza. Crédito: Cristóbal Palma.
Chile’s metropolitan areas exemplify the profound challenges and opportunities in urban governance. With 87% of its population in urban areas and 63% in eight large agglomerations, cities like Santiago, Valparaíso, and Concepción house 46% of the national population and generate over 80% of the GDP (OECD, 2009). These areas face significant administrative fragmentation, requiring high levels of coordination among municipalities for efficient infrastructure and service management. Greater Santiago, for instance, concentrates 50% of job opportunities in three municipalities, necessitating metropolitan-wide transportation integration.
As an example, Chile has embarked on a metropolitan strengthening journey by empowering regional governments (GORE) and forming metropolitan areas. The 2018 Regional Strengthening Laws introduced democratic elections for regional governors and redefined regional governance (Ministerio del Interior y Seguridad Pública de Chile, 2021). These laws facilitate the creation of metropolitan areas if cities exceed 250,000 inhabitants and meet specific criteria. Future Chilean Metropolitan Areas will have their own institutional space for strategic urban planning and intersectoral coordination.
Metropolitan Area Departments (DAM) are being established within GOREs, enhancing coordination and management of public policies. DAMs will oversee areas such as transportation, waste management, and air quality, crucial for metropolitan-scale infrastructure and service efficiency. Additionally, strategic planning at this scale must incorporate climate resilience. Chile’s Nationally Determined Contribution aims to cut 95MT of CO2 by 2030, demanding low-carbon infrastructure (UNFCCC, 2020). Cities like Santiago face severe climate vulnerabilities, including rising temperatures and heatwaves, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations.
Santiago de Chile, Chile. Fuente: Lo Metropolitano: escala, complejidad y gobernanza. Crédito: Cristóbal Palma.
The book includes different perspectives from policy makers and experts discussing metropolitan governance, addressing critical issues faced by urban areas in Latin America and the Caribbean. The authors present a multifaceted examination of metropolitan dynamics. Some of the contributors are Felipe Vera, Fernando Toro , Dominique Mashini, Douglas Barrios and Miguel Santos (Harvard University), Yves Cabannes (University College London), Diane Davis (Harvard University), Roger Keil and Sara Macdonald (York University), Christian Lefevre (Ecole D’urbanisme de Paris), Saskia Sassen (Columbia University), and Ricky Burdett (LSE Cities, London School of Economics).
Análisis del Área Metropolitana de Quito. Fuente: Lo Metropolitano: escala, complejidad y gobernanza. Crédito: Groundlab.
We invite you to explore the comprehensive insights provided in “Lo Metropolitano: Escala, Complejidad y Gobernanza,” which emphasizes the need for integrated urban planning, sustainable transportation, economic dynamics, housing needs, and climate change adaptation. By examining practical examples from cities such as São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Santiago, Lima, Rosario, Bogotá, Buenos Aires, Medellín, and Mexico City, this book offers valuable lessons for policymakers and urban planners.
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